EP4680048A1

EP4680048A1 - Process for managing tobacco supply chain

Info

Publication number: EP4680048A1
Application number: EP24706462.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Zaid Bin ZIKRIA; Angel David ESPINOSA ALVAREZ; Leonardo Amonte ANACKER; Sermin ERSOY; Marcos Fernando FRIES
Original assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Current assignee: Philip Morris Products SA
Priority date: 2023-03-14
Filing date: 2024-02-23
Publication date: 2026-01-21
Also published as: JP2026508645A; CN120857874A; WO2024188619A1; KR20250160186A

Abstract

A process for managing tobacco supply chain comprises: harvesting and curing tobacco leaves; selecting tobacco by sorting the tobacco leaves and grouping in tobacco bales and by automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images; processing the tobacco; packing the tobacco by filling boxes with the tobacco, feeding the boxes one after the other in sequence along a packing line, compressing the tobacco in the boxes, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images.

Description

PROCESS FOR MANAGING TOBACCO SUPPLY CHAIN

The present disclosure relates to a process for managing tobacco supply chain, which comprises tobacco leaves processing, quality classification and storage before tobacco product manufacturing. In particular, the present disclosure relates to the automatic analysis of tobacco through imaging and processing of acquired images in the tobacco supply chain. The present disclosure also relates to a method for selecting tobacco, to a tobacco analyzing line, to a method for packing tobacco and to a tobacco packing line.

Tobacco is mainly used for smoking, for instance in cigarettes and cigars as well as pipes. Traditional smoking articles, like cigars and cigarettes, and aerosol-generating articles or heat-not-burn cigarettes which comprise tobacco are known in the art. The traditional smoking articles are ignited at one end, causing them to smolder, and the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opposite end. In the aerosol-generating articles, a tobacco aerosol-generating substrate is heated rather than combusted. Tobacco may also be consumed as snuff, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco and snus.

Tobacco leaves are cultivated and harvested by farmers, then cured. The curing plays a major role in defining the leaf’s final quality and character. Each tobacco type is cured differently. When the leaves have been cured, the tobacco farmer sorts them according to stalk position and quality and packs them separately into bales for delivery to the point of sale. At the point of sale, the leaves are graded by expert leaf buyers who assess leaf quality by carefully checking variations in color, texture, and aroma. Once the tobacco has been purchased, it is shipped to a local processing factory where the leaves are further processed and dried for uniformity. After the drying process, the tobacco is pressed into cases for shipment around the world.

Known current tobacco leaf grading/classification method at the point of sale is based on human knowledge and experience and is common in the making of tobacco blends for cigarette production.

For the classification of tobacco leaves it is also known to employ hyperspectral imaging technology.

For instance, document US2012250025A1 discloses a method and system for the grading of agricultural products, such as tobacco bales, using hyper-spectral imaging and analysis. The system includes a light source for providing a beam of light, an interferometer or a prism array for dispersing electromagnetic radiation emitted from the agricultural product into a corresponding spectral image, a light measuring device for detecting component wavelengths within the corresponding spectral image and a processor operable to compare the detected component wavelengths to a database of previously graded agricultural products to identify and select a grade for the agricultural product.

Document WO2014078862A1 discloses a method and system for the blending of agricultural products, such as tobacco, using hyperspectral imaging and analysis. At least one region along a sample of agricultural product is scanned using at least one light source of different wavelengths. Hyperspectral images are generated from the at least one region. A spectral fingerprint for the sample of agricultural product is formed from the hyperspectral images. A plurality of samples of agricultural product is blended based on the spectral fingerprints of the samples according to parameters determined by executing a blending algorithm.

Document US2022369687A1 discloses a method of producing cut rag tobacco for cigarettes and other products from green tobacco leaves, comprising steps in a preindustrial phase and steps of an industrial phase in a threshing plant which receives the tobacco green leaves from the farmers.

In this field, it would be desirable to improve the integration of imaging technology along the tobacco supply chain in order to increase control and accuracy over the chemical composition (e.g. total alkaloids, reducing sugars and humidity) and the quality properties of the tobacco leaves, blends and products, in particular but not exclusively for the manufacturing of the aerosol-generating articles.

The present disclosure relates to a process for managing tobacco supply chain. The process comprises: harvesting and curing tobacco leaves; selecting tobacco through the following steps: sorting the tobacco leaves, optionally through human visual inspection, and grouping the tobacco leaves in tobacco bales, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images. The process may further comprise: unravelling the bales; processing the tobacco; packing the tobacco. After selecting and before unravelling, the tobacco bales may be conveyed to processing factories. The packing of the tobacco may be done through the following steps: filling boxes with the tobacco, feeding the boxes filled with tobacco and open on top one after the other in sequence along a packing line, compressing the tobacco in the boxes, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images. Processing the tobacco may comprise: blending and drying the tobacco. Processing the tobacco may comprise: conditioning the tobacco. After grouping the tobacco leaves in tobacco bales and before automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales, the tobacco bales may be visually inspected by leaf experts at the point of sale.

The inventor found that the automatic analysis of the tobacco in the boxes during packing and through imaging and processing of acquired images allows to increase control and accuracy over the chemical composition and the quality properties of the tobacco blends. The human interference is minimized or, if preliminary visually inspection by leaf experts is carried out, these two sources of information are compared and complemented.

The inventor found that the automatic analysis of the tobacco in the boxes during packing and through imaging and processing of acquired images allows to assign a grade quality to the blends in the boxes.

The inventor found that the disclosed methodology allows to improve the homogeneity of the tobacco blends according to their chemical composition and quality properties and thus to improve the quality of the final products (e.g. traditional smoking articles and aerosolgenerating articles).

The inventor found that the disclosed methodology allows to achieve the above objects with no reduction of speed and productivity and only a slight increase in equipment costs which may be fully compensated by the quality improvements.

Imaging and processing of acquired images may be carried out through hyperspectral imaging technology. The inventor found that this increases the chemical control of the tobacco.

Selecting tobacco may further comprise: reviewing features of the tobacco bales provided by the automatic analysis and grouping the tobacco bales in blend sets according to the reviewed features. The blend sets may then be conveyed to the processing factories. Also the features of the tobacco in the bales may be sent to processing factories for blending. The inventor found that the blend sets thus defined and provided to the processing factories make it easier for the blends to be composed.

Packing the tobacco may further comprise: weighing the boxes. After weighing, the tobacco boxes may be shipped to tobacco manufacturers.

According to some embodiments, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales comprises: feeding the tobacco bales one after the other in sequence along an analyzing line; detecting a height of the tobacco bales placed in the analyzing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the analyzing line and/or a height of the tobacco bales as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bale to be scanned; moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales. The inventor found that the height adjustment of the imaging scanner and/or of the bales ensures proper scanning distance according to the bale dimensions and the correct acquisition of images.

Detecting the height of the tobacco bales may be carried out while the tobacco bales move along the analyzing line or while each tobacco bale stops in front of the sensor. According to some embodiments, adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights. Adjusting the height of the imaging scanner may comprise: identifying, from the detected height, a type of bale among a plurality of classified types of different sizes and adjusting the height of the imaging scanner according to the identified type. Since typically the sizes of the tobacco bales depend on the origin they come from, the inventor found that each preset height may be associated to one of the origins.

The imaging scanner may acquire images while the tobacco bale moves in front of said imaging scanner or while each tobacco bale stops in front of the imagining scanner.

Optionally, a fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner is continuously carried out while acquiring images to keep a constant distance of the imaging scanner from the tobacco bale. The inventor found that the fine adjustment ensures the proper scanning distance even if a surface of the bales is uneven.

The imaging scanner may be a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper- spectral camera. The features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales may comprise chemical features of the tobacco. The chemical features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales may comprise: humidity and/or total alkaloids and/or reducing sugars. The imaging scanner may comprise an optical camera. The features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales may comprise optical properties of the tobacco. Optionally, the optical camera is a RGB camera. The optical properties of the tobacco may be colors. The imaging scanner may comprise said hyper-spectral camera and said optical camera.

The reviewed features used for grouping the tobacco bales in blend sets may be the chemical features of the tobacco and/or the optical properties of the tobacco. The optical properties of the tobacco may be correlated to a grade quality of the tobacco.

According to some embodiments, a machine-readable optical label on each bale containing identification data of the bale is read, optionally through the optical camera. The identification data may be sent to the processing factories for blending together with the features of the tobacco.

According to some embodiments, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes comprises: detecting a height of a top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes placed in the packing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the packing line and/or a height of the boxes as a function of the detected height of the top surface of the tobacco in the boxes; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes. Detecting the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco may be carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor. The inventor found that the height adjustment of the imaging scanner and/or of the boxes ensures proper scanning distance according to the box dimensions and a level of tobacco in the boxes and thus allows the correct acquisition of images.

The boxes may comprise flaps configured to close the open top of the boxes. A height of the flaps of the boxes may be detected and the position of the imaging scanner may be adjusted as a function of the detected height of the flaps. Detecting the height of the flaps may be carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor. The inventor found that the detection of the flaps allows to prevent interference of said flaps with the imaging scanner.

According to some embodiments, detecting a height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco and/or detecting a height of the flaps is carried out before acquiring images through the imaging scanner.

According to some embodiments, adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights. The inventor found that each preset height may be associated to a box dimension.

The height of the imaging scanner may be adjusted to achieve a preset distance from the top surface of the compressed tobacco. The preset distance may be between 10 cm and 30 cm, optionally between 15 cm and 25 cm, optionally of 20 cm.

The imaging scanner may be a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper- spectral camera. The features of the tobacco in the tobacco boxes may comprise chemical features of the tobacco. The chemical features of the tobacco in the tobacco boxes may comprise: humidity and/or total alkaloids and/or reducing sugars. The imaging scanner may comprise an optical camera. The features of the tobacco in the tobacco boxes may comprise optical properties of the tobacco. Optionally, the optical camera is a RGB camera. The optical properties of the tobacco may be colors. The imaging scanner may comprise said hyper-spectral camera and said optical camera.

According to some embodiments, the tobacco in the boxes is classified according to one of a plurality of classes according to a calibration model and then a quality rating is provided. The classification may be carried out according to the chemical features and/or the optical properties. The optical properties of the tobacco may be correlated to a grade quality of the tobacco.

While weighing the boxes, tobacco may be added or removed to/from the box to adjust the weight of the box. Addition or removal of tobacco may be a manual operation done by an operator. The features of the tobacco in the boxes and/or the quality rating of the tobacco in the boxes may be sent to tobacco manufacturers for final blending.

The present disclosure also relates to a method for selecting tobacco. The method for selecting tobacco comprises: sorting tobacco leaves and grouping in bales, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images.

Automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales may comprise: feeding the tobacco bales one after the other in sequence along an analyzing line; detecting a height of the tobacco bales placed in the analyzing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the analyzing line and/or a height of the tobacco bales as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bale to be scanned; moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales.

According to some embodiments, adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights. Adjusting the height of the imaging scanner may comprise: identifying, from the detected height, a type of bale among a plurality of classified types of different sizes and adjusting the height of the imaging scanner according to the identified type.

Optionally, a fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner is continuously carried out while acquiring images to keep a constant distance of the imaging scanner from the tobacco bale.

The present disclosure also relates to a method for packing tobacco. The method for packing tobacco comprises: feeding boxes, filled with tobacco and open on top, one after the other in sequence along a packing line; compressing the tobacco in the boxes; automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images. The method for packing tobacco may also comprises: weighing the boxes.

Automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes may comprise: detecting a height of a top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes placed in the packing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the packing line and/or a height of the boxes as a function of the detected height of the top surface of the tobacco in the boxes; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes. Detecting the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco may be carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor.

The boxes may comprise flaps configured to close the open top of the boxes. A height of the flaps of the boxes may be detected and the position of the imaging scanner may be adjusted as a function of the detected height of the flaps. Detecting the height of the flaps may be carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor.

According to some embodiments, adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

While weighing the boxes, tobacco may be added or removed to/from the box to adjust the weight of the box. Addition or removal of tobacco may be a manual operation done by an operator.

The features of the tobacco in the boxes and/or the quality rating of the tobacco in the boxes may be sent to tobacco manufacturers for final blending.

The present disclosure also relates to a tobacco analyzing line. The tobacco analyzing line is configured to automatically analyzing tobacco. The tobacco analyzing line may be configured to automatically analyzing tobacco in the method for selecting tobacco disclosed above.

The tobacco analyzing line may comprise: an analyzing conveyor configured to feed tobacco bales one after the other in sequence; a sensor located along the analyzing conveyor and configured to detect a height of the tobacco bales placed on the analyzing conveyor; an imaging scanner located along the analyzing conveyor and configured to acquire images of the tobacco bales; a moving mechanism carrying the imaging scanner and configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner; a control unit operatively connected to the analyzing conveyor, to the sensor, to the moving mechanism and to the imaging scanner.

The control unit may be configured to or programmed for controlling the analyzing conveyor to move said analyzing conveyor and the tobacco bales.

The control unit may be configured to or programmed for performing the following procedure: receiving from the sensor signals correlated to the height of the tobacco bales; controlling the moving mechanism to adjust the height of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bales.

The control unit may be configured to or programmed for performing the following procedure: moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; controlling the imaging scanner to acquire images; receiving the images acquired by the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales.

According to some embodiments, the tobacco analyzing line comprises a frame mounted above the analyzing conveyor and the moving mechanism is installed on said frame.

The moving mechanism may be configured to position the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights. The moving mechanism may comprise a device for fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner close to each of the preset heights.

According to some embodiments, the sensor for detecting the height of the tobacco bales is an optical sensor.

The imaging scanner may be a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper- spectral camera. The imaging scanner may comprise an optical camera. Optionally, the optical camera is a RGB camera. The imaging scanner may comprise said hyper-spectral camera and said optical camera.

Processing the acquired images may comprise: determining chemical features of the tobacco, such as humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars, and/or optical properties of the tobacco, such as colors. Processing the acquired images may also comprise: classifying the tobacco from the chemical features and/or the optical properties. The control unit may be configured or programmed for correlating the optical properties to the tobacco to a grade quality of the tobacco.

The present disclosure also relates to a tobacco packing line. The tobacco packing line may be configured to carry out the method for packing tobacco disclosed above.

The tobacco packing line may comprise: a filling machine configured to fill boxes with tobacco; a packing conveyor configured to feed the boxes one after the other in sequence; a press located above the packing conveyor, downstream of the filling machine and configured to press the tobacco in the boxes; an imaging scanner located along the packing conveyor, downstream of the press and configured to acquire images of the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes; a control unit operatively connected to the filling machine, to the packing conveyor and to the imaging scanner.

The tobacco packing line may also comprise a sensor located along the packing conveyor, downstream of the press and configured to detect a top surface of compressed tobacco in the boxes. The tobacco packing line may also comprise a moving mechanism carrying the imaging scanner and configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner.

The tobacco packing line may also comprise a weighing unit placed downstream of the imaging scanner and configured to weigh the boxes on the packing conveyor.

The control unit may also be operatively connected to the optional sensor, to the optional moving mechanism and to the optional weighing unit.

The control unit may be configured to perform the following procedure: controlling the packing conveyor to move said packing conveyor and the boxes; controlling the press to press the tobacco in the boxes; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; controlling the imaging scanner to acquire images; receiving the images acquired by the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes.

The control unit may be also configured to perform the following procedure: receiving from the sensor signals correlated to the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes; controlling the moving mechanism to adjust the height of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the top surface.

The control unit may be also configured to control the weighing unit to weigh the boxes.

According to some embodiments, the tobacco packing line comprises a frame mounted above the packing conveyor and the moving mechanism is installed on said frame.

The moving mechanism may be configured to position the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

According to some embodiments, the tobacco packing line may also comprise a further press located downstream of the weighing unit. The control unit may be operatively connected to the further press and being configured to control said further press to press the tobacco in the boxes after weighing.

According to some embodiments, the sensor for detecting the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco and/or of flaps of the boxes, if the boxes are provided with flaps configured to close the open top of the boxes, is an optical sensor.

The imaging scanner may be a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper- spectral camera. The imaging scanner may comprise an optical camera. Optionally, the optical camera is a RGB camera. The imaging scanner may comprise said hyper-spectral camera and said optical camera. Processing the acquired images may comprise: determining chemical features of the tobacco, such as humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars, and/or optical properties of the tobacco, such as colors. Processing the acquired images may also comprise: providing a quality rating of the tobacco from the chemical features and/or the optical properties. The control unit may be configured or programmed for correlating the optical properties to the tobacco a grade quality of the tobacco.

As used in the present description, a hyper-spectral imaging scanner is a hyperspectral imaging system that collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene with the purpose of identifying chemical composition of materials. The hyperspectral imaging technology is a non-destructive, non-contact technology that can be used without damaging the object/material being analyzed. Hyperspectral imaging scanners here mentioned may be known per se and commercially available. A hyperspectral imaging scanner usually comprises a hyperspectral camera and a light source for providing a beam of light to illuminate a surface to be scanned. The hyperspectral imaging scanner analyzes how the surface of the leaves reflect or absorb light. The light source “throws” light at the tobacco leaves and then the hyperspectral camera scans the reflected light in a wide range of wavelengths, generating a spectrum which can then be related to the chemical content.

As used in the present description, the optical properties of the tobacco, such as colors, acquired through the optical camera, such as the RGB camera, may measure the quality of a given tobacco grade through a calibration model.

As used in the present description, the term “automatically” refers to the adoption of a computer, in particular a modern digital electronic computer, programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations configured to process acquired images.

The invention is defined in the claims. However, below there is provided a non- exhaustive list of non-limiting examples. Any one or more of the features of these examples may be combined with any one or more features of another example, embodiment, or aspect described herein.

EX1. A process for managing tobacco supply chain, comprises: harvesting and curing tobacco leaves; selecting tobacco through the following steps: sorting the tobacco leaves and grouping in tobacco bales, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images, optionally through hyperspectral imaging technology.

EX2. The process according to EX1 , further comprising: unravelling the bales; processing the tobacco; optionally, processing the tobacco comprises: blending and drying the tobacco; packing the tobacco through the following steps: filling boxes with the tobacco, feeding the boxes, filled with tobacco and open on top, one after the other in sequence along a packing line, compressing the tobacco in the boxes, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images, optionally through hyperspectral imaging technology.

EX3. The process according to EX1 or EX2, wherein sorting the tobacco leaves is carried out through human visual inspection and/or, before automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales, said tobacco bales are visually in inspected by at least one leaf expert.

EX4. The process according to any of EX1 to EX3, wherein selecting tobacco further comprises: reviewing features of the tobacco bales provided by the automatic analysis; grouping the tobacco bales in blend sets according to the reviewed features.

EX5. The process according to EX4, wherein selecting tobacco further comprises: conveying the blend sets to processing factories.

EX6. The process according to EX2 or to any of EX3 to EX5 when according to EX2, wherein, after selecting and before unravelling, the tobacco bales are conveyed to processing factories.

EX7. The process according to EX2 or EX6 or to any of EX3 to EX5 when according to EX2, wherein packing the tobacco further comprises weighing the boxes.

EX8. The process according to EX7, wherein, after weighing, the tobacco boxes are shipped to tobacco manufacturers.

EX9. A method for selecting tobacco, comprises: sorting tobacco leaves and grouping in bales; automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images.

EX10. The process according to any of EX1 to EX8 or the method according to EX9, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales comprises: feeding the tobacco bales one after the other in sequence along an analyzing line; detecting a height of the tobacco bales placed in the analyzing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the analyzing line and/or a height of the tobacco bales as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bale to be scanned; moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales.

EX11 . The process or the method according to EX10, wherein detecting the height of the tobacco bales is carried out while the tobacco bales move along the tobacco analyzing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor.

EX12. The process or the method according to EX10 or EX11 , wherein adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

EX13. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX12, wherein adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: identifying, from the detected height, a type of bale among a plurality of classified types of different sizes and adjusting the height of the imaging scanner according to the identified type.

EX14. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX13, wherein the imaging scanner acquires images while the tobacco bale moves in front of said imaging scanner.

EX15. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX14, wherein a fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner is continuously carried out while acquiring images to keep a constant distance of the imaging scanner from the tobacco bale.

EX16. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX15, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera and the features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales comprise chemical features of the tobacco; optionally the hyper-spectral imaging scanner further comprises a light source for providing a beam of light to illuminate the tobacco to be scanned.

EX17. The process or the method according to EX16, wherein the chemical features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales comprise: humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars.

EX18. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX17, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera and the features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales comprise optical properties of the tobacco.

EX19. The process or the method according to EX18, wherein the optical camera is a RGB camera and the optical properties of the tobacco are colors.

EX20. The process or the method according to EX16 or EX17 and/or according to EX18 or EX19 when EX10 is according to EX4 or EX5, wherein the reviewed features used for grouping the tobacco bales in blend sets are the chemical features of the tobacco and/or the optical properties of the tobacco. EX21. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX20, further comprising: sending the features to processing factories for blending.

EX22. The process or the method according to any of EX10 to EX21 , further comprising: reading a machine-readable optical label on each bale containing identification data of the bale.

EX23. The process or the method according to EX22 when according to EX18 or EX19, wherein the machine-readable optical label is red through the optical camera.

EX24. The process or the method according to EX23 when according to EX21 , comprising: sending the identification data to the processing factories for blending together with the features of the tobacco.

EX25. A method for packing tobacco, comprises: feeding boxes, filled with tobacco and open on top, one after the other in sequence along a packing line; compressing the tobacco in the boxes; automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images; optionally, weighing the boxes.

EX26. The process according to EX2 or to any of EX3 to EX8 when according to EX2 or to any of EX10 to EX24 when according to EX2 or the method according to EX25, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes comprises: detecting a height of a top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes placed in the packing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the packing line and/or a height of the boxes as a function of the detected height of the top surface of the tobacco in the boxes; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes.

EX27. The process or the method according to EX26, wherein detecting the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco is carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor.

EX28. The process or the method according to EX26 or EX27, further comprising: detecting a height of flaps of the boxes and adjusting the position of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the flaps; the flaps are configured to close the open top of the boxes. EX29. The process or the method according to EX28, wherein detecting the height of the flaps is carried out while the boxes move along the packing line or while each box stops in front of the sensor.

EX30. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX29, wherein detecting a height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco is carried out before acquiring images through the imaging scanner.

EX31 . The process or the method according to EX28 or EX29 or according to EX30 when according to EX28 or EX29, wherein detecting a height of the flaps is carried out before acquiring images through the imaging scanner.

EX32. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX31 , wherein adjusting a height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

EX33. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX32, wherein the height of the imaging scanner is adjusted to achieve a preset distance from the top surface of the compressed tobacco.

EX34. The process or the method according to EX33, wherein said preset distance is between 10 cm and 30 cm, optionally between 15 cm and 25 cm, optionally of 20 cm.

EX35. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX34, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera and the features of the tobacco in the boxes comprise chemical features; optionally the hyper-spectral imaging scanner further comprises a light source for providing a beam of light to illuminate the tobacco to be scanned.

EX36. The process or the method according to EX35, wherein the chemical features of the tobacco in the boxes comprise: humidity and/or total alkaloids and/or reducing sugars.

EX37. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX36, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera and the features of the tobacco in the boxes comprise optical properties of the tobacco.

EX38. The process or the method according to EX37, wherein the optical camera is a RGB camera and the optical properties of the tobacco are colors.

EX39. The process or the method according to EX35 or EX36 and/or according EX37 or EX38, further comprising: classifying the tobacco in the boxes according to one of a plurality of classes according to a calibration model and providing a quality rating; classification being carried out according to the chemical features and/or the optical properties. EX40. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX39, further comprising: adding or removing tobacco to/from the box to adjust the weight of the box while weighing.

EX41. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX40, comprising: further compressing the tobacco after weighing.

EX42. The process or the method according to any of EX26 to EX41 , further comprising: sending the features of the tobacco in the boxes to tobacco manufacturers for final blending.

EX43. The process or the method according to EX42 when according to EX39, sending the quality rating of the tobacco in the boxes to the tobacco manufacturers.

EX44. A tobacco analyzing line configured to automatically analyzing tobacco in the method for selecting tobacco according to EX9 to EX24.

EX45. The tobacco analysing line according to EX44, comprising: an analyzing conveyor configured to feed tobacco bales one after the other in sequence; a sensor located along the analyzing conveyor and configured to detect a height of the tobacco bales placed on the analyzing conveyor; an imaging scanner located along the analyzing conveyor and configured to acquire images of the tobacco bales; a moving mechanism carrying the imaging scanner and configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner; a control unit operatively connected to the analyzing conveyor, to the sensor, to the moving mechanism and to the imaging scanner, the control unit being configured to or programmed for performing the following procedure: controlling the analyzing conveyor to move said analyzing conveyor and the tobacco bales; receiving from the sensor signals correlated to the height of the tobacco bales; controlling the moving mechanism to adjust the height of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bales; moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; controlling the imaging scanner to acquire images; receiving the images acquired by the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales.

EX46. The tobacco analysing line of EX45, comprising a frame mounted above the analyzing conveyor, the moving mechanism being installed on said frame. EX47. The tobacco analysing line according to EX45 or EX46, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to position the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

EX48. The tobacco analysing line according to any of EX45 to EX47, wherein the moving mechanism comprises a device for fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner close to each of the preset heights.

EX49. The tobacco analysing line according to any of EX45 to EX48, wherein the sensor for detecting the height of the tobacco bales is an optical sensor.

EX50. The tobacco analysing line according to any of EX45 to EX49, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera; optionally the hyper-spectral imaging scanner further comprises a light source for providing a beam of light to illuminate the tobacco to be scanned.

EX51. The tobacco analysing line according to any of EX45 to EX50, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera, optionally a RGB camera.

EX52. The tobacco analysing line according to any of EX45 to EX51 , wherein processing the acquired images comprises: determining chemical features of the tobacco, such as humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars, and/or optical properties of the tobacco, such as colors.

EX53. The tobacco analysing line according to EX52, wherein processing the acquired images comprises: classifying the tobacco from the chemical features and/or the optical properties.

EX54. A tobacco packing line configured to carry out the method for packing tobacco according to EX25 to EX43.

EX55. The tobacco packing line according to EX54, comprises: a filling machine configured to fill boxes with tobacco; a packing conveyor configured to feed the boxes one after the other in sequence; a press located above the packing conveyor, downstream of the filling machine and configured to press the tobacco in the boxes; an optional sensor located along the packing conveyor, downstream of the press and configured to detect a top surface of compressed tobacco in the boxes; an imaging scanner located along the packing conveyor, downstream of the press and configured to acquire images of the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes; an optional moving mechanism carrying the imaging scanner and configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner; an optional weighing unit placed downstream of the imaging scanner and configured to weigh the boxes on the packing conveyor; a control unit operatively connected to the filling machine, to the packing conveyor, to the optional sensor, to the optional moving mechanism, to the optional weighing unit and to the imaging scanner, the control unit being configured to perform the following procedure: controlling the packing conveyor to move said packing conveyor and the boxes; controlling the press to press the tobacco in the boxes; optionally receiving from the sensor signals correlated to the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes; optionally controlling the moving mechanism to adjust the height of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the top surface; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; controlling the imaging scanner to acquire images; receiving the images acquired by the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes, optionally controlling the weighing unit to weigh the boxes.

EX56. The tobacco packing line according to EX55, comprising a frame mounted above the packing conveyor, the moving mechanism being installed on said frame.

EX57. The tobacco packing line according to EX55 or EX56, wherein the moving mechanism is configured to position the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

EX58. The tobacco packing line according to any of EX55 to EX57, wherein the sensor for detecting the height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco and/or of flaps of the boxes is an optical sensor.

EX59. The tobacco packing line according to any of EX55 to EX58, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera; optionally the hyper-spectral imaging scanner further comprises a light source for providing a beam of light to illuminate the tobacco to be scanned.

EX60. The tobacco packing line according to any of EX55 to EX59, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera, optionally a RGB camera.

EX61. The tobacco packing line according to any of EX55 to EX60, wherein processing the acquired images comprises: determining chemical features of the tobacco, such as humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars, and/or optical properties of the tobacco, such as colors.

EX62. The tobacco packing line according to EX61 , wherein processing the acquired images comprises: providing a quality rating of the tobacco from the chemical features and/or the optical properties. EX63. The tobacco packing line of any of EX55 to EX62, comprising a further press located downstream of the weighing unit, the control unit being operatively connected to the further press and being configured to control said further press to press the tobacco in the boxes after weighing.

EX64. The process or the method according to EX16 and EX18 or the process or the method according to EX35 and EX37 or the tobacco analysing line according to EX52 or EX53 or the tobacco packing line according to EX61 or EX62, wherein the optical properties of the tobacco are correlated to a grade quality of the tobacco or wherein the control unit is configured or programmed for correlating the optical properties of the tobacco to a grade quality of the tobacco.

Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

Figure 1 is a flowchart schematically showing a tobacco supply chain;

Figures 2A and 2B are a graphical depiction of the flowchart of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a side view of a tobacco analyzing line implemented in the tobacco supply chain of Figures 1 , 2A and 2B;

Figure 4 shows a tobacco packing line implemented in the tobacco supply chain of Figures 1 , 2A and 2B.

Figures 1 , 2A and 2B show a tobacco supply chain. The tobacco plants are cultivated and harvested by farmers, then tobacco leaves are cured (Figures 1 and 2A, letter A). Each tobacco type may be cured differently. When the tobacco leaves have been cured, the tobacco farmer sorts them through human visual inspection and according to stalk position and quality. The tobacco leaves are then grouped (Figures 1 and 2A, letter B) in bales 1 for delivery to points of sale.

At the point of sale, the tobacco bales 1 are conveyed along buying and selection lines where said tobacco bales 1 are visually inspected by leaf experts and then are automatically analyzed through imaging and processing of acquired images using hyperspectral imaging technology (Figures 1 and 2A, letter C). The automatic analysis provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales 1. The features comprise chemical features of the tobacco, i.e. humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars, and optical properties of the tobacco, i.e. colors. These features are reviewed, by an operator or automatically through an algorithm, and the tobacco bales 1 are grouped in blend sets 2 (Figures 1 and 2A, letter D) according to the reviewed features.

Figure 3 shows details of a tobacco analyzing line 3 configured to select tobacco in one of the buying and selection lines. The tobacco analyzing line 3 comprises an analyzing conveyor 4 configured to feed the tobacco bales 1 one after the other in sequence along a feeding direction “FD”. In the non-limiting example of Figure 3, the analyzing conveyor 4 comprises a sequence of conveyor belts placed one after the other.

A frame 5 is installed close to the analyzing conveyor 4 and an upper part of said frame 5 is positioned above the analyzing conveyor 4. The upper part carries an optical sensor 6 and an imaging scanner 7. The optical sensor 6 and the imaging scanner 7 are also schematically represented in Figure 2A.

The optical sensor 6, such as a laser sensor, is mounted and oriented such to be directed towards the tobacco bales 1 moving along the analyzing conveyor 4 and to detect a height of the tobacco bales 1 placed on the analyzing conveyor 4. The detection of the heights of the tobacco bales 1 may be carried out while the tobacco bales 1 move along the tobacco analyzing line 3 or while each box stops in front of the optical sensor 6. The optical sensor 6 is operatively connected to a control unit 8 and transmits to the control unit 8 a signal related to a distance from the optical sensor 6 to the tobacco bale 1. The control unit 8 is programmed or configured to determine a height of the detected bale 1 from such signal.

Typically, the dimensions of the bales 1 depend on the origin they come from and all the bales 1 from a same origin have similar dimensions. Examples of dimensions are listed in the following Table 1.

Table 1

Therefore, the control unit 8 is programmed or configured for identifying, from the detected height, a type of bale 1 among a plurality of classified types of different sizes.

The imaging scanner 7 is mounted and oriented such to be directed towards the tobacco bales 1 moving along the analyzing conveyor 4 and is operatively connected to the control unit 8. The imaging scanner 7 is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera 9 and an optical camera 10. The imaging scanner 7 also comprises one or more light sources, not shown in the drawings, to illuminate a surface of tobacco to be scanned. The hyper-spectral camera 9 collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene with the purpose of identifying the chemical features of tobacco in the tobacco bale 1 , i.e. humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars. The optical camera 10 is a RGB (Red Green Blue) camera and provides colors of the tobacco in the tobacco bale 1. The optical camera

10 is also configured to read a machine-readable optical label, like a barcode or a QR code.

The imaging scanner 7 is mounted on the frame 5 through a moving mechanism 11 , which is schematically represented in Figure 3. The moving mechanism 11 carries the imaging scanner 7 and is configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner 7, i.e. a distance of the imaging scanner 7 with respect to the analyzing conveyor 4 supporting the bales 1 .

The control unit 8 is programmed or configured for controlling the moving mechanism

11 and for adjusting the height of the imaging scanner 7 as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bale 1 to be scanned so that a distance of the imaging scanner 7 from a surface of the bales 1 is kept within a range even if the bales 1 to be scanned have different dimensions. According to variant embodiments, not shown in the drawings, instead of or in addition to adjusting the height of the imaging scanner 7, a height of the tobacco bales 1 on the analyzing conveyor 4 and/or a height of the analyzing conveyor 4 may be adjusted.

Since a plurality of classified types of different sizes bales 1 exist, the moving mechanism 11 is configured to move the imaging scanner 7 between a plurality of preset heights, each corresponding to an identified type of bale 1. For instance, the imaging scanner 7 is moved to a lower position to scan a small bale T represented in dashed line in Figure 3 (Origin 2 in Table 1) and to an upper position to scan a bigger bale 1 represented in solid line in Figure 3 (Origin 1 in Table 1).

The moving mechanism 11 is also provided with a device for fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner 7. Once the imaging scanner 7 is in the upper or in the lower position, the control unit 8 is programmed or configured for controlling the device for fine adjustment to move the imaging scanner 7 close to each of the preset heights.

When a tobacco bale 1 moves under the optical sensor 6, the control unit 8 determines the height of the detected bale 1 from the signal coming from the optical sensor 6 and controls the moving mechanism 11 to adjust the height of the imaging scanner 7. The control unit 8 is also operatively connected to the analyzing conveyor 4 to move said analyzing conveyor 4 and the tobacco bales 2.

Then, while the tobacco bale 1 moves under the imaging scanner 7 or stops under the imaging scanner 7, the control unit 8 acquires images through the imaging scanner 7 and processes the acquired images to compute humidity, total alkaloids, reducing sugars and colors of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bale 1 . In addition the RGB camera reads a machine-readable optical label 12 (e.g. a QR code) which is placed on each bale 1 and contains identification data of the bale 1. The hyperspectral imaging scanner analyzes how the surface of the leaves reflect or absorb light. The light source “throws” light at the tobacco leaves and then the hyperspectral camera scans the reflected light in a wide range of wavelengths, generating a spectrum which can then be related to the chemical content.

The features (humidity, total alkaloids, reducing sugars, colors) of each bale 1 are associated with the identification data of the same bale 1 and, as disclosed above, the tobacco bales 1 are classified and grouped in blend sets 2. The control unit 8 may also be programmed or configured to correlate the colors of the tobacco to a grade quality of the tobacco.

The features together with the identification data are transmitted to processing factories where the blend sets 2 are shipped for blending (Figures 1 and 2A, letter E).

As schematically depicted in Figure 2B, in the processing factories, the bales 1 are unravelled and the tobacco leaves are processed (Figures 1 and 2B, letter F). Processing comprises: blending, conditioning and drying the tobacco.

After processing, the tobacco blends are packed. Boxes 13 are filled (Figures 1 and 2B, letter G) with the tobacco and weighed (Figures 1 and 2B, letter J). The boxes 13 are made of cardboard, parallelepiped in shape and are open on top. The boxes 13 comprise flaps 14 projecting from lateral walls of the box 13 and the flaps 14 are configured to close the top of the box 13.

Figure 4 shows a packing line 15 configured to pack the tobacco blends. The packing line 15 comprises a packing conveyor 16 configured to feed the boxes one after the other in sequence along a conveying direction “CD”. The packing conveyor 15 of the illustrated and non-limiting embodiment comprises a plurality of conveyors positioned one after the other. The packing line 15 comprises a filling machine 17 placed above a first conveyor and configured to fill the boxes 13 with the tobacco.

Downstream of the filling machine 17, a press 18 is located above a second conveyor of the packing conveyor 16 and said press 18 is configured to press the tobacco in the boxes 13 (Figures 1 and 2B, letter H). Figure 4 shows, in solid line, the press 18 while pressing the tobacco in the box 13 and the same press 18, in dashed line, in a rest position spaced from the box 13.

An optical sensor 19 is located along the packing conveyor 16, downstream of the press 18 with respect to the conveying direction “CD”. The optical sensor 19 is mounted on a frame 20 extending above the packing conveyor 16 and is configured to detect a top surface of compressed tobacco which fills the boxes 13. The optical sensor 20 is operatively connected to a control unit 21 of the packing line 15. The control unit 21 receives signals from the optical sensor 19 and is configured or programmed for detecting a height or position of top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes 13 and also of the flaps 14. The control unit 21 is also configured to control and move the packing conveyor 16 and the boxes 13 and to control the filling machine 17 to fill the boxes 13.

Downstream of the optical sensor 19, the packing line 15 comprises a hyper-spectral imaging scanner 22 which is mounted on the frame 20 above the packing conveyor 16. The hyper-spectral imaging scanner 22 comprises a hyper-spectral camera 23 and one or more light sources for providing a beam of light to illuminate the tobacco while it is scanned. The hyper-spectral imaging scanner 22 further comprises an optical RGB camera 24. The hyper- spectral imaging scanner 22 of the packing line 15 may be per se known and/or may be of the same type as the hyper-spectral imaging scanner 9 of the tobacco analyzing line 3.

The hyper-spectral camera 23 collects and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum to obtain the spectrum for each pixel in the image of a scene with the purpose of identifying the chemical features of tobacco in the boxes 13, i.e. humidity, total alkaloids and reducing sugars. The optical camera 10 is a RGB (Red Green Blue) camera and provides colors of the tobacco in the boxes 13.

The hyper-spectral imaging scanner 22 is mounted on the frame 20 through a moving mechanism 25, which is schematically represented in Figure 4. The moving mechanism 25 carries the imaging scanner 22 and is configured to adjust a height of the imaging scanner 22, i.e. a distance of the imaging scanner 22 with respect to the analyzing conveyor 4 supporting the boxes 13 and with respect to the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes 13, as a function of the height of the top surface of the tobacco in the boxes detected through the optical sensor 19.

The control unit 21 is programmed or configured for controlling the moving mechanism 25 and for adjusting the height of the imaging scanner 22 as a function of the detected height of the top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes 13 to be scanned so that a distance of the imaging scanner 22 from top surface is kept within a range even if the tobacco level in the boxes 13 is different from one box to another (for instance, in case of tobacco type change). For instance, the height of the imaging scanner 22 is adjusted to achieve a preset distance from the top surface of the compressed tobacco between 15 cm and 25 cm.

If the boxes 13 may be classified according to a plurality of standard sizes or if the same boxes are filled at different standard levels of tobacco, the moving mechanism 25 is configured to move the imaging scanner 22 between a plurality of preset heights, each corresponding to an identified type of box 13 or level of tobacco.

When a tobacco box 13 moves below or stop in front of the optical sensor 19, the control unit 21 determines the height of the top surface of tobacco in the box 13 from the signal coming from the optical sensor 19 and controls the moving mechanism 25 to adjust the height of the imaging scanner 22. The control unit 21 is also operatively connected to the packing conveyor 16 to move said packing conveyor 16 and the boxes 13.

The control unit 21 may also determine a height of the flaps 14 of the box 13 and adjusts the height of the imaging scanner 22 to avoid interference with the flaps 14.

Then, while the box 13 moves under the imaging scanner 22 or stops under the imaging scanner 22, the control unit 21 acquires images through the imaging scanner 22 and processes the acquired images to compute humidity, total alkaloids, reducing sugars and colors of the tobacco in the box 13 (Figures 1 and 2B, letter I).

These features (humidity, total alkaloids, reducing sugars, colors) of the tobacco in each box 13 are analyzed by the control unit 21 and the tobacco in the boxes 13 is classified according to one of a plurality of classes and through a calibration model. This is a digital grading that is used to give quality ratings to the tobacco boxes 13 and which may then be used by blenders or tobacco manufacturers to optimize which tobacco is going to which final blend. The control unit 8 may also be programmed or configured to correlate the colors of the tobacco to a grade quality of the tobacco.

Downstream of the imaging scanner 22, the packing line 15 comprises a weighing unit 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the weighing unit 26 is part of one of the conveyors and is configured to weigh the box 13 lying on said conveyor. Weight may be provided to an operator at the weighing unit 26, for instance through a display, and the operator may add or remove tobacco to/from the box 13 to finely adjust the weight of the box 13.

After weighing and adjusting the weight, the box 13 is conveyed to a further press 27 (not shown in Figure 2B) located downstream of the weighing unit 26. The control unit 21 is operatively connected to the further press 27 and is configured to control said further press 27 to press the tobacco in the boxes 13 after weighing and before closing the box 13 by folding the flaps 14.

The boxes 13 are shipped to tobacco manufacturers or manufacturers of tobacco products (Figures 1 and 2B, letter K) and the features of the tobacco together with the quality rating of the tobacco in the boxes are communicated to the tobacco manufacturers or manufacturers of tobacco products.

For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about". Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A ± 5 percent of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.

Claims

1. Process for managing tobacco supply chain, comprising: harvesting and curing tobacco leaves; selecting tobacco through the following steps: sorting the tobacco leaves and grouping in tobacco bales, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales through imaging and processing of acquired images; unravelling the bales; processing the tobacco; packing the tobacco through the following steps: filling boxes with the tobacco, feeding the boxes, filled with tobacco and open on top, one after the other in sequence along a packing line, compressing the tobacco in the boxes, automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes through imaging and processing of acquired images.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales is carried out through hyperspectral imaging technology.

3. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes is carried out through hyperspectral imaging technology.

4. The process according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the tobacco bales comprises: feeding the tobacco bales one after the other in sequence along an analyzing line; detecting a height of the tobacco bales placed in the analyzing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the analyzing line and/or a height of the tobacco bales as a function of the detected height of the tobacco bale to be scanned; moving the tobacco bales under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales.

5. The process according to claim 4, wherein adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: moving the imaging scanner between a plurality of preset heights.

6. The process according to claim 4 or 5, wherein adjusting the height of the imaging scanner comprises: identifying, from the detected height, a type of bale among a plurality of classified types of different sizes and adjusting the height of the imaging scanner according to the identified type.

7. The process according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein a fine adjustment of the position of the imaging scanner is continuously carried out while acquiring images to keep a constant distance of the imaging scanner from the tobacco bale.

8. The process according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera and the features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales comprise chemical features of the tobacco.

9. The process according to any of claims 4 to 8, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera and the features of the tobacco in the scanned tobacco bales comprise optical properties of the tobacco.

10. The process according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes comprises: detecting a height of a top surface of the compressed tobacco in the boxes placed in the packing line through a sensor; adjusting a height of an imaging scanner located in the packing line and/or a height of the boxes as a function of the detected height of the top surface of the tobacco in the boxes; moving the boxes under the imaging scanner; acquiring images through the imaging scanner and processing the acquired images to provide features of the tobacco in the boxes.

11 . The process according to claim 10, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes further comprises: detecting a height of flaps of the boxes and adjusting the position of the imaging scanner as a function of the detected height of the flaps; the flaps being configured to close the open top of the boxes.

12. The process according to claim 10 or 11 , wherein the height of the imaging scanner is adjusted to achieve a preset distance from the top surface of the compressed tobacco.

13. The process according to any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the imaging scanner is a hyper-spectral imaging scanner comprising a hyper-spectral camera and the features of the tobacco in the boxes comprise chemical features.

14. The process according to any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the imaging scanner comprises an optical camera and the features of the tobacco in the boxes comprise optical properties of the tobacco.

15. The process according to claim 13 and/or 14, wherein automatically analyzing the tobacco in the boxes further comprises: classifying the tobacco in the boxes according to one of a plurality of classes according to a calibration model and determining a quality rating; classification being carried out according to the chemical features and/or the optical properties.