{
  "patent_number": "US 10942133",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Machines Automatically Spot Flaws in Fabric During Manufacturing",
  "original_title": "Method and system for automatically detecting fabric defect, and computer readable storage medium",
  "summary": "This patent describes an automated system for finding defects in fabric by cleaning it, taking pictures based on how a roller spins, and then using a computer to identify flaws.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent outlines a method and system for automatically finding defects in fabric as it moves through a cloth inspection machine. First, a \"noise removing device\" (like a blower or cleaner, as per claim 6) prepares the fabric region to eliminate dust or debris that could look like a flaw (claim 1). Next, a camera takes pictures of the fabric, but it's triggered precisely by the rotation information of the machine's roller, ensuring consistent image capture (claim 1). Finally, a computer automatically analyzes these images to identify any defects (claim 1). If a defect is found, the system can slow down the fabric and mark the defect's exact location, even calculating its global position on the entire fabric roll (claims 2-4). For example, if a machine detects a tear, it can immediately slow down the fabric and spray a marker onto the edge of the fabric right next to the tear.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover defect detection systems that do not include a dedicated noise removing device to preprocess the fabric.",
    "Does not cover camera triggering for image acquisition that is not based on the rotation information of a cloth inspection machine's roller.",
    "Does not cover manual human inspection of fabric defects, as the system is specifically designed for \"automatically identifying\" them.",
    "Does not cover marking defects by translating the marking device, as it specifies marking the fabric edge \"without translating the defect marking device.\"",
    "Does not cover defect detection using non-visual sensors, as the core method relies on capturing and analyzing \"one or more images.\""
  ],
  "filed": "2018-04-11",
  "granted": "2021-03-09",
  "expires": "2038-04-11",
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/hong-kong-research-institute-of-textiles-and-apparel",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Wai Keung Wong",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/wai-keung-wong"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "manufacturing",
    "textiles",
    "software",
    "robotics",
    "computer_vision"
  ],
  "abstract": "Disclosed are a method and system for automatic detection of a fabric defect. The method comprises: preprocessing a region of a fabric to be detected during a fabric transmission process by a noise removing device to eliminate noise interference during a detection process; triggering a camera to perform image acquisition on the fabric to be detected according to rotation information of a motor of a roller of a cloth inspection machine; and automatically identifying a defect on the fabric to be detected based on an acquisition image.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10942133/method-and-system-for-automatically-detecting-fabric-defect-and-computer-readabl",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10942133/method-and-system-for-automatically-detecting-fabric-defect-and-computer-readabl/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US10942133",
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}