Container identification and tracking system

• US 20040126015A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hadell, Per Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,286,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/181
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/002 Container cranes B66C19/007 takes precedence
• 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

The present invention refers to a system for automatically identifying containers that are loaded/unloaded by a crane, preferable at port areas, and for capturing and/or analyzing images of at least a part of the container, comprising at least one camera, a camera control system and a crane control system. The problems with such systems are to capture images with good quality that can be safely analyzed, without stopping or hamper the loading/unloading procedure. The problems are solved by the invention by that the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to receive information generated in, and/or transmitted from, the crane control system (CCS) thereby controlling at least one of the functions of the camera or cameras (13) in order to capture one or more images of at least a part of the container (5). The invention also refers to a method for identifying and tracking a container is handled by a crane in a container terminal, and the method comprises the steps of locating/mounting one or more cameras on a crane structure; activating the correct camera or cameras when a container is near or approaching the camera level; capturing one or more images of at least a part of the container.

analyzing the captured images to identify the container ID recording/storing the ID, time and position of disconnecting the detected container from the spreader.

Claims

1. A system for automatically capturing and/or analyzing images of at least a part of a container that is handled by a crane, preferable at port areas, comprising at least one camera, a camera control system and a crane control system,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to receive information generated in, and/or transmitted from, the crane control system (CCS) thereby controlling at least one of the functions of the camera or cameras (13) in order to capture one or more images of at least a part of the container (5).

2. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

at least one camera (13) is arranged on the crane (1).

3. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera (13) is arranged at a distance of 5 to 7 meters from ground.

4. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 3,

characterized by that,

the camera (13) is arranged at a distance of about 6 meters above ground.

5. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

at least two cameras (13) are arranged on the crane (1) in order to capture images of both sides of the container (5).

6. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

at least three cameras (13) are arranged on the crane (1) in order to capture images of the marking area (18) of a container (5) and for covering all positions where a container (5) marking area (18) may occur.

7. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to activate at least one camera (13) out of information transmitted from the crane control system (CCS).

8. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to select what camera or cameras (13) should be activated for image capturing, out of information of the spreader (8) size, transmitted from the crane control system (CCS).

9. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to determine the relevant zoom position of each activated camera (13) out of information of the trolley (7) position transmitted from the crane control system (CCS).

10. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 9,

characterized by that,

the relevant zoom position of the camera (13) is defined by that the image captured is essentially covering the target container (5) marking area (18).

11. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to start and/or stop the image capturing procedure out of information of the spreader (8) vertical speed and the spreader (8) height position transmitted from the crane control system (CCS).

12. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to calculate the estimated time of arrival (ETA) out of information of the spreader (8) vertical speed and spreader (8) height position transmitted from the crane control system (CCS).

13. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera or cameras are arranged in such a way that the lens axis is essentially parallel to the camera level (14) and the centerline of the spreader (8).

14. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the cameras (13) are arranged on the crane (1) at a distance from each other, corresponding to the difference in locations where the container (5) marking areas (18) of different container (5) sizes may appear.

15. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

information/data generated by the camera control system (CCR), is transmitted to the crane control system (CCS), which is arranged to use that information as part of a container tracking and job order handling.

16. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 15,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to transmit the information of the container ID to the crane control system (CCS).

17. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 15,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to transmit a value of the reliability of the ID analysis to the crane control system (CCS).

18. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 15,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to transmit a measurement error code, defined by a series of different errors, to the crane control system (CCS).

19. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

at least one camera (13) is arranged to capture images of the entire container (5) in order to determine the presence of possible external container damages.

20. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 1,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to determine the relevant zoom position of each activated camera (13) out of information of the spreader (8) position transmitted from the crane control system (CCS) when an anti-sway control is used as part of the CCS Crane Automation (25).

21. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 13,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to automatically create a wire rope stretching/elongation compensation by applying a correction value that recalibrates the container height value that initiates the starting and/or stopping of the capturing of images.

22. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 13,

characterized by that,

the camera control system (CCR) is arranged to automatically create a correction, if a camera (13) lens axis is not essentially parallel to the camera level (14), and that recalibrates the container height value that initiates the starting and stopping of the capturing of images.

23. A method for identifying and tracking a container handled by a crane in a container terminal according to any of the preceding claims,

comprising the steps of:

select the correct camera or cameras (13) when a container (5) is near or approaching the camera level (14),

setting the correct image size of the camera (13) by changing the zoom value

capturing one or more images of the container (5) and/or its ID marking area (18),

analyzing the captured images to identify the container (5) ID number

recording/storing the ID number of the detected container (5).

24. A method for identifying and tracking a container handled by a crane in a container terminal, according to claim 23,

comprising the further steps of:

recording/storing the time and position of disconnecting the detected container (5) from the spreader (8). detecting the completion of load/unload cycle to/from a ship, linking this information to other data above, and transmitting it to the terminal logistics.