Method and system for mapping to facilitate dispatching

• US 10,546,384 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Seaman, Conrad Delbert, West, Stephen, Kuhn, Derek John
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Vu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rivera-Martinez, Guillermo M
• Application Number:
  US15/656,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20190026915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/225 based on a marking or identifier characterising the area
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/424 Postal images, e.g. labels or addresses on parcels or postal envelopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A method at a server for container location verification within a container yard, the method including requesting image data from at least one image sensor apparatus affixed to a container within the container yard; receiving the image data; and processing the image data to identify a location of a target container.

Claims

1. A method at a server for container location verification within a container yard, the method comprising:

requesting image data from at least one image sensor apparatus affixed to a container within the container yard;

receiving the image data, the image data comprising a location of the image sensor apparatus and a direction the image sensor apparatus is facing; and

processing the image data to identify a location within the container yard of a target container based on the location of the image sensor apparatus and the direction the image sensor apparatus is facing,

wherein the image data is from the image sensor apparatus on the target container, and

wherein the processing identifies at least one of landmarks and neighboring containers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing uses optical recognition to identify markings on neighboring containers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is from a neighboring container to the target container, and wherein the processing uses optical recognition to identify markings on the target container.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing comprises displaying the image data on a user interface and receiving an input using the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, verifying the location of the target container and dispatching a shunt vehicle for the target container.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the processing does not find the target container, the method further comprising searching for the target container, the searching comprising:

identifying at least one image sensor apparatus;

obtaining image data from the at least one image sensor apparatus; and

processing the image data to determine whether an image of the target container is within the image data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the identifying comprises finding image sensor apparatuses within a threshold distance of an anticipated location of the target container.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the threshold distance is increased if the image of the target container is not found within the image data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving image data from a plurality of image sensor apparatuses;

and

dynamically updating a map of the container yard based on information with the received image data.

10. A server configured for container location verification within a container yard, the server comprising:

a processor; and

a communications subsystem, wherein the server is configured to;

request image data from at least one image sensor apparatus affixed to a container within the container yard;

receive the image data, the image data comprising a location of the image sensor apparatus and a direction the image sensor apparatus is facing; and

process the image data to identify a location within the container yard of a target container based on the location of the image sensor apparatus and the direction the image sensor apparatus is facing,

wherein the image data is from the image sensor apparatus on the target container, and

wherein the processing identifies at least one of landmarks and neighboring containers.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the processing uses optical recognition to identify markings on neighboring containers.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein the image data is from a neighboring container to the target container, and wherein the processing uses optical recognition to identify markings on the target container.

13. The server of claim 10, wherein the server is configured to process by displaying the image data on a user interface and receive an input using the user interface.

14. The server of claim 10, wherein the server is further configured to verify the location of the target container and dispatch a shunt vehicle for the target container.

15. The server of claim 10, wherein, if the server during processing does not find the target container, the server is further configured to search for the target container, the searching comprising:

identifying at least one image sensor apparatus;

obtaining image data from the at least one image sensor apparatus; and

processing the image data to determine whether an image of the target container is within the image data.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the server is configured to identify by finding image sensor apparatuses within a threshold distance of an anticipated location of the target container.

17. The server of claim 16, wherein the threshold distance is increased if the image of the target container is not found within the image data.

18. The server of claim 10, wherein the server is further configured to receive image data from a plurality of image sensor apparatuses;

and

dynamically update a map of the container yard based on information with the received image data.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing instruction code, which when executed by a processor of a server configured for container location verification within a container yard cause the server to:

request image data from at least one image sensor apparatus affixed to a container within the container yard;

receive the image data, the image data comprising a location of the image sensor apparatus and a direction the image sensor apparatus is facing; and

process the image data to identify a location within the container yard of a target container based on the location of the image sensor apparatus and the direction the image sensor apparatus is facing,

wherein the image data is from the image sensor apparatus on the target container, and

wherein the processing identifies at least one of landmarks and neighboring containers.