WO2006110092A1

WO2006110092A1 - Food analysis system

Info

Publication number: WO2006110092A1
Application number: PCT/SE2006/000447
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nils Wihlborg
Original assignee: Foss Analytical Ab
Priority date: 2005-04-15
Filing date: 2006-04-13
Publication date: 2006-10-19

Abstract

A food analysis system (2) comprises an analysis sub-system (4) for generating measurement data from a food or a food component (12) and a cooperable computer sub- system (6) for processing the so generated data to determine an indication of a compositional characteristic of the food or food component (12) . The system (2) further comprises a handheld remote user interface (20) , such as may be provided by a suitably configured mobile telephone, adapted to establish a wireless telecommunication link with one or both the analysis sub- system (4) and the computer sub-system (6) and which is cooperable therewith to provide a user with a message indicating the results of the determination.

Description

Pood Analysis System

Description

The present invention relates to a food analysis system as set out in the preamble to the present Claim 1.

Systems for the analysis of compositional characteristics of food and food components are well known and are typically employed at locations where the food and food components are stored or handled. Such systems may therefore be located where a crop is grown, harvested, transported, stored or processed.

Such a so-called ^λfood analysis system' generally comprises an analysis sub-system and a cooperable computer sub-system. The analysis sub-system typically includes sensor means for making measurements on a sample of the food or food component and generating related measurement data. This data may provide a direct indication (primary measurement) of a desired characteristic to be measured or may provide an indirect indication (secondary measurement) of the desired characteristic. In the latter case, secondary measurement data must be further processed by correlating it with primary measurement data before meaningful information regarding the desired characteristic can be produced. The computer subsystem typically is connected to receive measurement data from the analysis sub-system and to process that data according to predetermined mathematical rules in order to provide an indication of the desired characteristic. Multivariate analysis employing linear regression or artificial neural network models is a well know technique that is employed in such further processing and such modelling shall not be discussed in detail here.

In some configurations of the known food analysis system the computer sub-system may also be adapted to provide control instructions to the analysis sub-system. Furthermore, this known food analysis system may be configured such that the two sub-systems are located in close proximity, typically within the same housing, or alternatively such that the computer sub-system is located remote of the analysis sub-system and may even be adapted to provide the same functionality for a plurality of analysis sub-systems. Where the two sub-systems are physically remote of each other the results of the data processing are often returned to the vicinity of the analysis sub-system for presentation there.

It can be readily appreciated that, dependent on the specific configuration of the food analysis system, a user must be in physical proximity to one or other of the analysis or the computer sub-systems in order to control the collection of the measurement data and/or view the indication of the desired characteristic.

As used herein, the term *food and food components' encompasses raw materials (such as seeds, cereal and other crop, grape and other fruits, sugar cane, etc.); intermediate materials (such as milled grains, juice, must and other vinefication products, commuted cane, etc.); and the final animal or human food product intended for consumption.

It is an aim of the present invention to at least alleviate the above identified problem.

Accordingly there is provided a food analysis system as described in and characterised by the present Claim 1.

By providing a handheld remote user interface, such as may be realised using for example, a mobile telephone or a so-called ¹ Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)', adapted for the wireless communication with one or both of the analysis sub-system and the computer sub-system then characteristic information based on the measurement data may be provided to a user without the user necessarily being in the vicinity of either of the subsystems . Usefully, the handheld remote user interface may be configured for bi-directional wireless telecommunication with the one or both sub-systems so that advantageously, control instructions may be generated by the user and transmitted to the appropriate sub-system.

To this end it is preferable that the remote user interface is provided with both a display and a user input such as, for example, a keypad, a touch screen portion of the display or a voice activated input.

These and other advantages will become apparent to the person skilled in the art from a consideration of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as are described below in relation to the accompanying figures, of which:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a food analysis system according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of a food analysis system according to the present invention; and

Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment of a food analysis system according to the present invention.

Considering now Fig. 1, a first embodiment of a food analysis system 2 according to the present invention is illustrated by way of example only. A conventional analysis sub-system 4 is shown in operable connection to a conventional local computer sub-system 6 and are here shown to be located in a single housing 8.

The analysis sub-system 4 includes a known sensor arrangement 10, such as provided in a known manner by a near infra red (NIR) spectrophotometer, for generating secondary measurement data. The computer sub-system 6 is operably connected to receive data output from the sensor arrangement 10 and is programmed to process that secondary measurement data using known mathematical techniques in order to determine an indication of a compositional characteristic of a sample 12, such as a value indicating a measured level of a component to be monitored or an indication of the quality of the sample. Such techniques may involve for example multivariate analysis of the secondary measurement data, portions thereof or values determined therefrom.

In addition to this known data processing function the computer sub-system 6 is also configured to, in a known manner, provide operational control of the analysis sub- system 4 for at least the generation of the secondary measurement data.

Also provided within the housing 8 is a wireless telecommunications sub-system 14 of generally known type. This telecommunications sub-system 14 is configured, in this embodiment, for bi-directional telecommunication with a corresponding known wireless telecommunications unit 18 of a handheld remote user interface, here illustrated as a mobile telephone 20 (not to scale) .

In the present example, the telephone 20 receives suitably constructed signals via the wireless telecommunications subsystem 14 to enable display of messages generated by the computer sub-system 6 on a display unit 22. Alternatively or additionally the messages may be presented to the user as voice or other audible messages. Such messages include at least a representation of the compositional characteristic resulting from the data processing performed on the secondary measurement data by the computer sub-system 6. Indications of the operational status of the analysis sub-system 4 may also be transmitted to the handheld remote user interface 20.

In the present embodiment the mobile telephone 20 is able to send telecommunication signals for receipt by the telecommunications sub-system 14 and subsequent interpretation into control signals by the computer sub- system 6, for use in the operational control of the analysis sub-system 4.

To this end, and by way of example only, the computer subsystem 6 is configured to interpret 'touch-tone' commands issued from the mobile telephone 20 via a conventional keypad 24 and to generate dependent control signals for the operational control of the analysis sub-system 4. A look-up table may be resident in the computer sub-system 6 which provides an index of keypad numbers (as represented by the touch-tone) with operational instructions.

In one embodiment the mobile telephone 20 may be modified, for example by employing a custom, shell, such that only a limited number of keys on the keypad 24 are available to a user. Icons may additionally or alternatively be provided linked to the available keys so as to provide a graphic indication of the command function to be executed at the analysis sub-system 4 when the key is pressed.

It will be appreciated that the mobile telephone 20 of the present invention is not limited to examples capable of receiving and/or transmitting voice or data information only but also include within its scope mobile phones having web- browsing, e-mail, data storage, fax and program code uploading and/or downloading capabilities. Also included within its scope are intelligent mobile telephones ( ^x smartphones') that function as both mobile telephone and handheld computers, telephones having removable SIM or other cards and mobile telephones employing a Graphical User Interface as a user input means for at least a part of any user input. It is further contemplated that mobile telephones may be specifically designed for use as part of the food analysis system 2 according to the present invention.

A second embodiment of a food analysis system 26 according to the present invention is shown in Fig. 2. An analysis sub-system 28, which may or may not be the same as that analysis sub-system 4 of Fig. 1, is provided for generating secondary measurement data from a food or food component sample (not shown) . The secondary measurement data, such as an optical spectrum, features therefrom or a representation of all or a portion thereof is provided to a communications unit 30 for onward transmission to a remote computer sub-system 32. The secondary data is analysed in the computer sub-system 32 using known mathematical methods to provide an indication of a compositional value of a constituent of the food or a food component sample which is transmitted back to the communications unit 30 for onward transmission to an output unit 34, such as a monitor or a printer, which is located in the vicinity of the analysis sub-system 28.

Also provided as part of the food analysis system 26 is a handheld remote user interface in the form of a PDA 36, incorporating a wireless telecommunications unit 38. In this embodiment the wireless telecommunications unit 38 is configured to receive a wireless telecommunications transmission from the communications unit 30 representing the same data transmitted by the communications unit 30 to the remote computer sub-system 32.

The PDA 36 is, in the present embodiment, adapted to host and run a data analysis program to analyse the secondary data in a manner substantially similar to that of the remote computer sub-system 32 and to provide an indication of a compositional value of a constituent of the food or a food component sample on a display 40 of the PDA 36.

In the present embodiment, a wireless telecommunications link is also provided between the remote computer sub-system 32 and the PDA 36 by which means the data analysis program can be synchronised to that employed by the sub-system 32. It is envisaged within the scope of the invention that updates to the data analysis program may be provided to the PDA 36 by other conventional means, such as by machine readable memory cards or other removable machine readable media capable of holding program code for access by and running on the PDA 36.

It is further envisaged that the PDA 36 may be configured for bi-directional wireless telecommunication with the communications unit 30 so as to enable the results of determinations made on the PDA 36 to be provided to the output unit 34. In this manner the PDA 36 may replace the remote computer sub-system 32, which function is now incorporated into the PDA 36.

Considering now a further exemplary embodiment of a food analysis system according to the invention, a portable food analysis system 42 that is illustrated in Fig. 3.

A handheld remote user interface 44, such as a PDA, smartphone or other handheld computer capable of being provided with sufficient computational power, is provided with a conventional wireless transceiver unit 46 for wireless telecommunication with a corresponding wireless transceiver unit 48 of a portable analysis sub-system 50. In this manner a wireless link, such as a mobile telephone link, RF link, ultrasonic link, or infra-red link, may be established between the remote user interface 44 and the analysis subsystem 50.

The portable analysis sub-system 50 comprises a housing 52 on which are provided handles 54 to facilitate movement of the analysis sub-system 50. In the present embodiment a sampling window 56 is also provided in the housing 52 to allow optical communication between internal and external the housing 52. It will be appreciated that this window 56 may be replaced with a simple opening. However, by providing the window 56 then advantageously internal the whole or part of the housing 52 may be purged with an inert gas. A support 60, here illustrated as a removable support, is provided to maintain, in use, the sampling window 56 a fixed sampling distance above a sample to be analysed. By providing a removable support 60 then the analysis sub-system 50 may be easily adapted for use on different surfaces and with different samples .

This support 60 is nere shown to comprise a viewing port 62 and translational means 64. The translational means 64 can be, for example, wheels or caterpillar™ type tracks. The translational means 64 is provided to facilitate the movement of the housing 52, for example over a surface 68 containing an extensive sample 70, such as growing wheat or grass, to be analysed.

A known optical sensor arrangement 72 is provided within the housing 52 for generating secondary measurement data, in the form of optical spectral information, from that portion of the sample 70 that is being illuminated with optical radiation through the window 56 and viewing port 64.

In the present embodiment the sensor arrangement 72 comprises an illumination source which is here shown to as a plurality of light emitting diodes 74a, 74b, arranged to illuminate a same portion of the sample 70 when energised. In the present embodiment each diode 74a, 74b is arranged to emit in a different wavelength region. For example, the diode 74a may be configured as a broadband NIR emitter whereas the diode 74b may be configured as a broadband visible light emitter and are intended for sequential energisation. It is also envisaged that each diode may be energised simultaneously or that groups of diodes may be selectively energised. Control of the illumination source 74a, 74b may conveniently be made by a suitably programmed control computer 76 that is also included within the housing 52 as an element of the analysis sub-system 50. It will be appreciated that the energisation sequence, as well as the wavelength characteristics of the diodes 74a, 74b or the type of illumination source, may be selected dependent on the sample to be analysed.

Also included as an element of the optical sensor arrangement 72 of the present embodiment is a monochromator 78 which, in the present example comprises a fixed dispersion element 80 and a detector diode array 82. An optical unit 84 is also provided for collecting light emitted by the illumination source 74a, 74b after it having interacted (here reflected from) with the sample 70 and to provide a more or less focussed beam at an entrance (not shown) of the monochromator 78. The detector array 82 and the dispersion element 80 are mutually configured such that light passing from the optical unit 84 is made incident upon the dispersion element 80 which acts to generate a wavelength dependent spatially separated beam. This spatially separated beam is then made incident on the detector diode array 82. Each element or predetermined group of elements of the detector diode array 82 detects an intensity of a different wavelength region of the light from the sample 70 and provides a consequential output to the control computer 76. where a digital representation is generated. The so described monochromator 78 thus acts in a conventional manner to produce an optical spectrum, a digital representation of the whole or part of which may be passed from the control computer 76 to the transceiver unit 48 for wireless transmission to the handheld remote user interface, here the PDA 44. Other conventional spectrophotometry instruments may substitute for the so described monochromator 78, for example a moving grating monochromator or a Fourier transform interferometer may be employed. However, the preferred instrument should have as few moving parts as possible. The monochromator 78 of the present embodiment has no moving parts which makes it relatively insensitive to physical disturbances, such as alignment changes, that are typically experienced when the analysis sub-system 52 is moved. In order to reduce the computational burden on the PDA 44, the control computer 76 may also be programmed to provide a degree of pre-processing of the so produced optical spectrum before onward transmission. Such pre-processing may include noise reduction, data compression or data selection to discard irrelevant portions of the collected spectrum, all of which may be implemented in manners known in the art of conventional food and food component analysis.

In the present example of Fig. 3, the PDA 44 is adapted to host and run a data analysis program to analyse the secondary data in a manner substantially similar to that of the PDA 36 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 and to provide an indication of a compositional value of a constituent of the food or a food component sample on a display 86 of the PDA 44.

It is envisaged within the scope of the invention that updates to the data analysis program may be provided to the PDA 44 by such conventional means as wireless transfer and machine readable memory cards or other removable machine readable media capable of holding program code for access by and running on the PDA 44. Indeed a plurality of analysis algorithms or calibration coefficients for use therein may be made accessible to the PDA 44 from, for example, either an internal non-volatile memory or the removable machine readable media. Each member of the plurality relates to analysis of specific compositional characteristics of particular sample types to be analysed and a user may navigate to select an appropriate element from the plurality by means of conventional user input means common to a PDA, such as a co-operating joy-stick 88 and cursor 90 arrangement. Alternatively the user may provide as an input to the PDA 44 an indication of sample type and/or characteristic to be determined and the PDA 44 is programmed to automatically select the appropriate element from the plurality, for example by employing a look-up table providing an index of the elements to sample type and/or characteristic. The selected element is then incorporated into the analysis program, preferably temporarily at runtime, in order to perform the desired analysis.

It will be appreciated that other handheld computers, such as for example a smartphone, may substitute for the PDA as a remote user interface in the embodiments of Fig. 2 or 3 and that the PDA or other handheld computer may substitute for the mobile telephone as the remote user interface in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

It will be further appreciated that a plurality of analysis sub-systems may be provided for wireless communication with a single remote user interface (either directly or via a computer sub-system) without departing from the invention as claimed. In which case it is preferable that each analysis sub-system is provided with a unique identifier., such as one based on a telephone number associated with the particular sub-system, for identifying itself to the handheld remote user interface and thereby optionally to a user.

Claims

1. A food analysis system (2; 26;42) comprising an analysis sub-system (4;28;50) for generating measurement data from a food or a food component; and a cooperable computer sub-system (6;32;44) for processing the generated data to determine an indication of a compositional characteristic of the food or food component; characterised in t h a t the system (2;26;42) further comprises a handheld remote user interface (20;36;44) adapted to communicate with one or both the analysis sub-system (4;28;50) and the computer sub-system (S;32;44) via a wireless telecommunication link.

2. A food analysis system (2; 26;42) as claimed in Claim l characterised in that the handheld remote user interface (20;36;44) is adapted to generate a human discernable message representative of the determined indication in response to information received via the wireless telecommunication link.

3. A food analysis system (42) as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that the remote user interface (44) is adapted to process secondary measurement data received via the wireless telecommunication link to determine the indication of a compositional characteristic of the food or food component .

4. A food analysis system (2;26;42) as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised in that the handheld remote user interface (20; 36; 44) comprises a display (22;40;86) for displaying the human discernable message.

5. A food analysis system (2; 26; 42) as claimed in any previous claim characterised in that the handheld remote user interface (20;36;44) is configured for bi-directional wireless telecommunication with the one or both sub-systems (4; 28; 50,-6; 32; 44) .

6. A food analysis system (2;26;42) as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that the handheld remote user interface (20; 44) comprises a user input (24; 88 ,90) by means of which instructions for use in controlling the operation of the analysis sub-system (4;50) are generated.

7. A food analysis system (42) as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the analysis sub-system (50) is portable.

8. A food analysis system (42) as claimed in Claim 7 characterised in that the analysis subsystem (50) comprises support means (60) for establishing a predetermined sampling distance from an extensive sample (70) of a food or food component.