Determining values of angular gauges

• US 10,168,192 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chattopadhyay, Rita, Russell, Anne M., Jog, Nikhil, Bayba, David M., Narkhede, Ravindra V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/979,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20170178329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 382100
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/22 Pointers, e.g. settable pointer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20036 Morphological image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/00 Image analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80

Abstract

In various embodiments, an angular gauge reporting system (“AGRS”) may determine one or more values from an image of an angular gauge. The AGRS may receive one or more images of the gauge and develop an angular map to determine values indicated by the gauge. The AGRS may identify numbers in the image to generate the angular map. The AGRS may determine a center for the angular gauge. The AGRS may determine numerical values by processing capture images of the angular gauge though angular or linear interpolation of values. By generating the angular map prior to later determination of values, the AGRS may provide for determination of numerical values without requiring repetition of actions which may be computationally complex or resource intensive. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more computing processors;

an image receiver to generate a binary image from a first image of an angular gauge, identify a portion of the binary image containing the angular gauge, and crop the binary image to the identified portion to generate a cropped binary image;

an angular mapper to operate on the one or more computing processors to generate an angular map from the cropped binary image, wherein the angular map associates positions of a needle of the angular gauge with numerical values; and

a gauge reader to operate on the one or more computing processors to determine a value indicated by the needle of the angular gauge in a second image of the angular gauge based on the angular map;

wherein, for an intermediate angle in between two angles which are mapped in the angular map, the gauge reader is to interpolate a value for the intermediate angle from the two mapped angles, the two mapped angles being mapped angles closest to the intermediate angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a number identifier to identify one or more numbers in the first image of the angular gauge.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the number identifier is to identify the one or more numbers through identification of one or more connected component labels in the first image of the angular gauge.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the number identifier is to identify a subset of connected component labels which are most likely to contain gauge numbers.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the number identifier is to group connected components into connected component labels.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the number identifier is to perform optical character recognition on the connected component labels.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angular mapper is to determine one or more of a maximum value and a minimum value for the angular gauge.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the angular mapper is to determine one or more of the maximum value and the minimum value from configuration information for the angular gauge.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angular mapper is to identify a center of the angular gauge.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angular mapper is to generate the angular map to associate respective angles of the needle with respective numerical values.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angular mapper is to generate the angular map to associate respective angles of the needle through a center of the angular gauge.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angular mapper is to generate the angular map to associate respective angles based on angles of the needle when pointing at one or more identified numbers on the angular gauge.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the gauge reader is to:

determine an angle of the needle of the angular gauge in the second image of the angular gauge; and

determine the value associated with the angle of the needle in the second image.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the angular mapper is to generate the angular map to associate respective angles of the needle relative to a baseline axis.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating, by a computing system, a binary image from a first image of an angular gauge;

identifying, by the computing system, a portion of the binary image containing the angular gauge;

generating, by the computing system, a cropped binary image by cropping the binary image to the identified portion;

generating, by the computing system, an angular map from the cropped binary image, wherein the angular map associates positions of a needle of the angular gauge with numerical values;

determining, by the computing system, a value indicated by the needle of the angular gauge in a second image of the angular gauge based on the angular map; and

interpolating, for an intermediate angle in between two angles which are mapped in the angular map, a value for the intermediate angle from the two mapped angles, the two mapped angles being mapped angles closest to the intermediate angle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising identifying, by the computing system, one or more numbers in the first image of the angular gauge.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the angular map comprises associating respective angles of the needle with respective numerical values.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining a value comprises:

determining an angle of the needle of the angular gauge in the second image of the angular gauge; and

determining the value associated with the angle of the needle in the second image.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions written thereon that, in response to execution on a computing system, cause the computing system to:

generate a binary image from a first image of an angular gauge;

identify a portion of the binary image containing the angular gauge;

generate a cropped binary image by cropping the binary image to the identified portion;

generate an angular map from the cropped binary image, wherein the angular map associates positions of a needle of the angular gauge with numerical values;

determine a value indicated by the needle of the angular gauge in a second image of the angular gauge based on the angular map; and

interpolate, for an intermediate angle in between two angles which are mapped in the angular map, a value for the intermediate angle from the two mapped angles, the two mapped angles being mapped angles closest to the intermediate angle.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further to identify one or more numbers in the first image of the angular gauge.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further to identify a center of the angular gauge.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein generate the angular map comprises associate respective angles of the needle with respective numerical values.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein associate respective angles of the needle comprises associate respective angles through a center of the angular gauge.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein determine a value comprises:

determine an angle of the needle of the angular gauge in the second image of the angular gauge; and

determine the value associated with the angle of the needle in the second image.