Systems, apparatus, and methods for dynamically transforming scan data using a scanning sensor node

• US 10,089,503 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Burch, V, Reuben F., Cawein, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Schoenholtz, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US14/993,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20160238425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/18 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2007/10504 Data fields affixed to objects or articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10297 arrangements for handling protocols designed for non-contact record carriers such as RFIDs NFCs, e.g. ISO/IEC 14443 and 18092 cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; network security protocols H04L63/00; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; network protocols for data switching network services H04L67/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10415 the interrogation device being fixed in its position, such as an access control device for reading wireless access cards, or a wireless ATM banking machines in general G07F19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10821 further details of bar or optical code scanning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for dynamically transforming scan data representing a container'"'"'s loaded volume using a scanning sensor node mounted above storage space within the container. The scanning sensor node generally includes a memory, a depth sensor oriented above and towards the storage space, an identification scanner, and a communications interface to an external managing node. The identification scanner identifies an item being loaded into the storage space and the depth sensor responsively scans the storage space to generate the scan data. The scanning sensor node determines if the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor based upon the generated scan data and dynamically transforms the scan data into refined scan data based on this determination and upon material dimension data associated with the item.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically transforming scan data representing a loaded volume of a container as the container is loaded, the system comprising:

a scanning sensor apparatus disposed within the container, the scanning sensor apparatus further comprising

a housing configured to mount to an interior surface within the container in a position above a storage space within the container;

a processing unit disposed within the housing;

a memory disposed within the housing, the memory being operatively coupled to the processing unit and maintaining at least a scanning program code for execution by the processing unit and material dimension data related to an item being loaded into the storage space;

a depth sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the depth sensor is disposed and oriented towards the storage space within the container and from above the storage space;

an identification scanner operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the identification scanner is operative to conduct an identification scan of an identification element for the item being loaded into the storage space;

a wireless communication interface disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the processing unit; and

an external managing node disposed outside the container and in operative communication with the scanning sensor apparatus via the wireless communication interface;

wherein the processing unit of the scanning sensor apparatus, when executing the scanning program code, is operative to

cause the identification scanner to conduct the identification scan of the identification element and gather information that identifies the item being loaded into the storage space within the container,

cause the depth sensor to scan the storage space within the container from above the storage space and generate the scan data representing the loaded volume of the container, store the generated scan data in the memory,

determine if the item loaded into the storage space is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor based upon the generated scan data,

dynamically transform the scan data into refined scan data if the processing unit determines the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor, wherein the scan data is transformed into the refined scan data based at least upon the material dimension data associated with the item, and

cause the wireless communication interface to transmit a volume update message to the external managing node, wherein the volume update message includes the refined scan data representing the current loaded volume of the container; and

wherein the external managing node is further operative to receive the volume update message from the wireless communication interface of the scanning sensor apparatus and store the refined scan data.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a server in direct communication with the external managing node but incapable of direct communication with the scanning sensor apparatus;

and

wherein the external managing node is further operative to transmit a container status update message to the server, the container status update message informing the server at least about the current loaded volume of the container as reflected by the refined scan data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit of the scanning sensor apparatus is operative to determine if the item loaded into the storage space is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor when the generated scan data is indicative of an incremental increase to the loaded volume of the container and the incremental increase is less than a threshold amount.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold amount depends upon an expected volume parameter associated with the item.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the expected volume parameter of the item is related to the material dimension data associated with the item.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the material dimension data comprises dimension information from a previous logistics scan of the item.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the material dimension data comprises default dimension information for the item.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the external managing node provides the material dimension data to the scanning sensor apparatus through the wireless communication interface;

and wherein the processing unit of the scanning sensor apparatus stores the received material dimension data in the memory.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification scanner of the scanning sensor apparatus is operative to conduct the identification scan by being further operative to receive a signal that identifies the item and provide information from the signal to the processing unit, wherein the provided information identifies the item being loaded into the storage space within the container.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification element comprises a wireless identification device associated with the item being loaded into the storage space;

and

wherein the identification scanner of the scanning sensor apparatus identifies the item by receiving a signal broadcast from the wireless identification device, wherein the signal includes data sufficient to identify the item.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication interface of the scanning sensor apparatus is further operative to transmit a request to the external managing node for the material dimension data associated with the identified item;

and

wherein the external managing node is operative to receive the request and transmit a response to the scanning sensor apparatus, the response including the requested material dimension data.

12. A scanning sensor apparatus disposed within a container that dynamically transforms scan data representing a loaded volume of a container, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to mount to an interior surface within the container in a position above a storage space within the container;

a processing unit disposed within the housing;

a memory disposed within the housing, the memory being operatively coupled to the processing unit and maintaining at least a scanning program code for execution by the processing unit and material dimension data related to an item being loaded into the storage space;

a depth sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the depth sensor is disposed and oriented towards the storage space within the container and from above the storage space;

an identification scanner operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the identification scanner is operative to conduct an identification scan of an identification element for the item being loaded into the storage space;

a wireless communication interface disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the processing unit; and

wherein the processing unit, when executing the scanning program code, is operative to

cause the identification scanner to conduct the identification scan of the identification element and gather information that identifies the item being loaded into the storage space within the container,

cause the depth sensor to scan the storage space within the container from above the storage space and generate the scan data representing the loaded volume of the container,

store the generated scan data in the memory,

determine if the item loaded into the storage space is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor based upon the generated scan data, and

dynamically transform the scan data into refined scan data if the processing unit determines the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor, wherein the scan data is transformed into the refined scan data based at least upon the material dimension data associated with the item.

13. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is operative to determine if the item loaded into the storage space is substantially not visible to the depth sensor by being further operative to:

compare (a) the scan data generated after the item is loaded into the storage space to (b) prior scan data representing a previously loaded volume of the container before the item is loaded into the storage space; and

determine that the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor when the difference between (a) and (b) represents an incremental increase to a previously determined loaded volume of the container and the incremental increase is less than a threshold amount.

14. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 13, wherein the threshold amount depends upon an expected volume parameter associated with the item.

15. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 14, wherein the expected volume parameter of the item is related to the material dimension data associated with the item.

16. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the material dimension data comprises dimension information from a previous logistics scan of the item.

17. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the material dimension data comprises default dimension information for the item.

18. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the material dimension data comprises information received from an external managing node in communication with the scanning sensor apparatus through the wireless communication interface.

19. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 12, wherein the identification scanner is operative to conduct the identification scan by being further operative to receive a signal that identifies the item and provide information from the signal to the processing unit, wherein the provided information identifies the item being loaded into the storage space.

20. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 12, wherein the identification scanner identifies the item by receiving a signal broadcast from the identification element associated with the item to be shipped, wherein the signal includes data sufficient to identify the item to be shipped.

21. The scanning sensor apparatus of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication interface is further operative to:

transmit a request to an external managing node for the material dimension data associated with the identified item,

receive the material dimension data from the external managing node, and provide the received material dimension data to the processing unit; and

wherein the processing unit is further operative to store the received material dimension data into the memory.

22. A method for dynamically transforming scan data representing a loaded volume of a container using a scanning sensor node having at least a memory, a depth sensor, an identification scanner, and a communications interface to an external managing node, the method comprising:

identifying, by the identification scanner of the scanning sensor node, an item being loaded into a storage space within the container based upon an an identification scan of an identification element for the item being loaded into the storage space;

scanning, by the depth sensor on the scanning sensor node, the storage space within the container to generate the scan data after identifying the item, wherein the scanning sensor node is mounted within the container and above the space within the container in a configuration that orients the depth sensor towards the storage space from above the storage space;

determining, by the scanning sensor node, if the item loaded into the storage space is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor based upon the generated scan data; and

dynamically transforming the scan data into refined scan data if the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor, wherein the scan data is transformed into the refined scan data based at least upon material dimension data associated with the item.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the determining step further comprises:

comparing (a) the scan data generated after the item is loaded into the storage space to (b) prior scan data representing a previously loaded volume of the container before the item is loaded into the storage space; and

determining that the item is at least partially not visible to the depth sensor when the difference between (a) and (b) represents an incremental increase to a previously determined loaded volume of the container and the incremental increase is less than a threshold amount.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the threshold amount depends upon an expected volume parameter associated with the item.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the expected volume parameter of the item is related to the material dimension data associated with the item.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the material dimension data comprises dimension information from a previous logistics scan of the item.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the material dimension data comprises default dimension information for the item.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the material dimension data comprises information received from the external managing node.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the identifying step further comprises:

receiving, by the identification scanner, a signal representing identification information associated with the item; and

identifying the item based upon the identification information received by the identification scanner.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by the communications interface of the scanning sensor node, a request to the external managing node, the request identifying the item and requesting the material dimension data for the identified item;

receiving, by the communication interface of the scanning sensor node, the material dimension data from the external managing node; and

storing the material dimension data for the identified item into the memory.