Scott T Richardson

US Patent:

20200110058, Apr 9, 2020

Filed:

Dec 5, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/704560

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01N 29/24
G01N 29/02
G01N 33/14
G01N 29/036
G01N 33/10

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a liquid. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a surface of a liquid contained in a container and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Textures of liquids are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20190017972, Jan 17, 2019

Filed:

Sep 17, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/132830

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01N 29/24
G01N 33/10
G01N 29/036
G01N 29/02
G01N 33/14

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a liquid. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a surface of a liquid contained in a container and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Textures of liquids are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20180328894, Nov 15, 2018

Filed:

Jul 25, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/044565

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01N 29/24
G01N 33/10
G01N 29/12
G01N 29/42
G01N 29/44
G01N 33/02
G01B 5/28
G01H 9/00

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a food snack is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a food snack placed on a surface and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Texture of food snacks are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20180011069, Jan 11, 2018

Filed:

Sep 21, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/711592

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Vernon Hills IL, US

International Classification:

G01N 33/10
G01H 9/00

Abstract:

A non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a food snack is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an ultrasound excitation device, an acoustic capturing device, an ultrasound capturing device and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool and the ultrasound excitation tool direct energy towards a food snack placed on a surface and produce an acoustic signal and an ultrasound signal. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal and ultrasound signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Texture of food snacks are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20170184551, Jun 29, 2017

Filed:

Mar 15, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/459828

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01N 29/24
G01N 33/14
G01N 29/02

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a liquid. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a surface of a liquid contained in a container and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Textures of liquids are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20170097222, Apr 6, 2017

Filed:

Dec 15, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/380943

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01B 5/28
G01N 33/10
G01N 33/02
G01N 29/24

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a food snack is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a food snack placed on a surface and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Texture of food snacks are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20170097324, Apr 6, 2017

Filed:

Dec 15, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/380622

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott FAGAN - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali MIRZA - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. RICHARDSON - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. SHAO - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

G01N 29/24
G01N 29/12
G01N 33/10

Abstract:

A photo acoustic non-destructive measurement apparatus and method for quantitatively measuring texture of a food snack is disclosed. The apparatus includes a laser generating tool, an acoustic capturing device, and a data processing unit. The laser generating tool directs a laser towards a food snack placed on a surface and creates pressure waves that propagate through the air and produce an acoustic signal. The acoustic capturing device records and forwards the signal to a data processing unit. The data processing unit further comprises a digital signal processing module that processes the received acoustic signal. A statistical processing module further filters the acoustic signal from the data processing unit and generates a quantitative acoustic model for texture attributes such as hardness and fracturability. The quantitative model is correlated with a qualitative texture measurement from a descriptive expert panel. Texture of food snacks are quantitatively measured with the quantitative acoustic model.

US Patent:

20170086479, Mar 30, 2017

Filed:

Sep 24, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/864728

Inventors:

- Plano TX, US
Scott Fagan - Dallas TX, US
Shahmeer Ali Mirza - Dallas TX, US
Scott G. Richardson - Gainesville TX, US
Chen C. Shao - Plano TX, US

International Classification:

A23L 1/025
A23L 1/217

Abstract:

A feedback and feedforward as well as a statistical predictive control system and method for continuously controlling texture of a food snack in a manufacturing process. The feedback system includes a quantitative texture measuring tool that is positioned downstream of a food processing unit. The texture measuring tool continuously measures a texture attribute of food snack from the food processing unit and feeds back texture attribute information to a controller that controls input parameters to food processing unit such that the texture attribute of a resultant food snack falls within an acceptable limit. The texture measuring tool comprises an excitation tool that strikes the food snack and produces an acoustic signal that is processed by a data processing unit. The data processing unit identifies relevant frequencies in the acoustic signal and quantitatively measures a texture attribute based on a correlated model that includes the relevant frequencies.