METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGE-BASED MEASUREMENT AND INSPECTION OF PRE-ENGINEERED STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

• US 20120163673A1
• Filed: 03/04/2012
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Building Component Verification Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Building Component Verification Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Thompson, Cyril Robert, Corley, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for image-based measurement and inspection of pre-engineered structural components, such as building trusses and wall panels. A system can include: a light source; a camera; a first memory storage; a second memory storage; and a processing unit configured to (i) detect a characteristic of the structural component, (ii) compare the characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of at least one reference data, and (iii) indicate a result of the comparison. A method can include: causing a light source to illuminate a portion of the structural component, receiving a reflection of the light source from the illuminated portion of the structural component, and storing data corresponding to the intensity of the reflection; comparing the stored data to at least one reference data; and indicating a result of the comparison.

Claims

1-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A method of validating the construction of a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:

a) creating at least one computer readable image of said pre-engineered structural component said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate;

b) calibrating the dimensions and orientation of said at least one image;

c) selecting a reference image, said reference image corresponding to a reference pre-engineered structural component design;

d) comparing said computer readable image with said selected reference image; and

e) indicating a result of said comparison.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising the step of moving said pre-engineered structural component from a first position to a second position by at least one mechanized roller.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of creating said at least one computer readable image comprises:

a) First, detecting a leading edge of said pre-engineered structural component;

b) upon such first deletion, beginning reading data from at least one camera;

c) then detecting a trailing edge of said pre-engineered structural component; and

d) upon such second detection, stopping reading data from said at least one camera.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said step of detecting said leading edge comprises determining when an output of a first edge sensor changes state.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein said step of detecting said trailing edge comprises determining when an output of a second edge sensor changes state.

45. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

a) processing said at least one computer readable image to remove data that does not correspond to at least one of the group consisting of the presence of a lumber piece, the relative position of a lumber piece, the presence of a support plate, the relative position of a support plate, an identification device and combinations thereof;

b) mathematically compressing said at least one computer readable image; and

c) storing said at least one computer readable image in a memory device.

46. The method of claim 40, further comprising creating at least two computer readable images of said pre-engineered structural component.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising the step of correlating said at least two computer readable images.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein said correlating step comprises the sub-steps of:

a) locating a first feature in a first of said at least two computer readable images;

b) locating a second feature in a second of said at least two computer readable images, wherein said second feature corresponds to said first feature; and

c) using a normalized cross correlation algorithm to correlate said first computer readable image and said second computer readable image about said first and said second features, respectively.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of calibrating said dimensions and said orientation of said at least one computer readable image comprises the sub-steps of:

a) selecting a portion of at least one support plate candidate;

b) computing the power cepstrum of said selected portion of said at least one support plate candidate;

c) identifying from said power cepstrum said at least one support plate; and

d) adjusting said dimensions and said orientation of said at least one computer readable image corresponding to stored dimensions of said at least one support plate.

50. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of selecting one of said at least one reference image comprises (i) determining the presence of an identification device and (ii) selecting a reference image corresponding to said identification device.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said step of determining the presence of said identification device comprises searching for a known identification device pattern.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said step of determining the presence of said identification device comprises:

a) selecting a portion of at least one identification device candidate;

b) computing the power cepstrum of said selected portion of said at least one identification device candidate; and

c) identifying from said power cepstrum said identification device.

53. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of selecting one of said at least one reference image comprises (i) receiving an input from a human interface device and (ii) selecting said reference image corresponding to said input.

54. The method of claim 40, wherein said step of selecting one of said at least one reference image comprises (i) identifying a support plate from at least one of a bar code, a label, printed text, and a machine readable pattern, and (ii) selecting said one of said at least one reference image corresponding to said identification.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said step of determining the presence of said support plate comprises:

a) selecting a portion of at least one support plate candidate;

b) computing the power cepstrum of said selected portion of said at least one support plate candidate; and

c) identifying from said power cepstrum said support plate.

56. An automated system for taking images of a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:

a) a lighting enclosure comprising a proximal opening and a distal opening;

b) at least one camera provided near said distal opening;

c) at least one pre-engineered structural component detector, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate;

d) a processor in communication with said at least one pre-engineered structural component detector and said at least one camera; and

e) a program associated with said processor, wherein said program and said processor capture and process at least one image of said pre-engineered structural component received from said at least one camera.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein said program is compresses said at least one image.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein said program stores said compressed image.

59. The system of claim 56 further comprising at least one position sensor.

60. The system of claim 56, wherein said processor and said program associate an output of said position sensor and the timing of said camera.

61. The system of claim 56, wherein said at least one camera has a resolution sufficient to measure critical dimensions of said pre-engineered structural component within tolerances determined by a design specification of said pre-engineered structural component.

62. The system of claim 56, wherein said at least one camera comprises an optical filter for increasing the visual contrast between parts of said pre-engineered structural component and a backdrop.

63. The system of claim 56, further comprising an enclosure to protect said at least one camera from one of dust, moisture, temperature extremes, and combinations thereof.

64. The system of claim 56, wherein said lighting enclosure blocks most ambient light and adds light suitable for reception by said at least one camera.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein said lighting enclosure further comprises a reflective surface.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the distance between said reflective surface and said pre-engineered structural component is less than a distance between said reflective surface and said at least one camera.

67. The system of claim 56, wherein the interior of said lighting enclosure is of a uniform color.

68. The system of claim 56, wherein a backdrop is provided adjacent to said proximal opening, said backdrop having a uniform appearance suitable for creating a contrast with said pre-engineered structural component.

69. The system of claim 56, further comprising at least one motorized roller for advancing said pre-engineered structural component in a direction.

70. The system of claim 56, wherein said processor and said program identify at least one part of said pre-engineered structural component from said at least one image.

71. The system of claim 61, wherein said processor and said program (i) identify at least one part of said pre-engineered structural component from said at least one image, and (ii) measure at least one critical dimension of said pre-engineered structural component from said at least one image.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein said processor and said program compare said at least one critical dimension of said pre-engineered structural component with a corresponding critical dimension in a reference pre-engineered structural component design.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein said processor and said program identify said reference pre-engineered structural component design by automatically detecting at least one identifier from said at least one image of said pre-engineered structural component.

74. The system of claim 73 wherein said at least one identifier is selected from the group of a label, a barcode, text, and combinations thereof.

75. The system of claim 72, wherein said processor and said program identify said reference pre-engineered structural component design by receiving a manually provided identifier.

76. The system of claim 56, further comprising a means for graphically displaying a result of said processing overlaid on said at least one image of said pre-engineered structural component.

77. The method of claim 56, further comprising one of the group of:

an audio signal device, a visual signal device, a printer, a video display, and combinations thereof.

78. A method for inspecting a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:

a) capturing at least one image from at least one side of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate;

b) identifying said pre-engineered structural component;

c) measuring at least one dimension of said pre-engineered structural component contained in said at least one image;

d) comparing said at least one dimension to a corresponding dimension in a reference pre-engineered structural component design; and

e) reporting a result of the comparison.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein said step of reporting comprises graphically displaying a result of said comparison superimposed over said images.

80. The system of claim 78 comprising the further step of compressing said at least one image.

81. The system of claim 80 comprising the further step of storing said compressed image.

82. The method of claim 78, further comprising the step of moving said pre-engineered structural component from a first position to a second position by at least one mechanized roller.

83. The method of claim 78, wherein said step of capturing said at least one image comprises:

a) first, detecting a leading edge of said pre-engineered structural component;

b) upon such first detection, beginning capturing images of said pre-engineered structural component;

c) then detecting a trailing edge of said pre-engineered structural component; and

d) upon such second detection, stopping capturing images.

84. The method of claim 78, further comprising capturing at least two computer readable images of said pre-engineered structural component.

85. The method of claim 84, further comprising the step of correlating said at least two computer readable images,

86. The method of claim 85 wherein said correlating step comprises the sub-steps of:

a) locating a first feature in a first of said at least two computer readable images;

b) locating a second feature in a second of said at least two computer readable images, wherein said second feature corresponds to said first feature; and

c) using a normalized cross correlation algorithm to correlate said first computer readable image and said second computer readable image about said first and said second features, respectively.

87. The method of claim 78 comprising the further steps of selecting a reference pre-engineered structural component design by (i) determining the presence of an identification device in said at least one image, and (ii) selecting a reference pre-engineered structural component design corresponding to said identification device.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein said step of determining the presence of said identification device comprises searching for a known identification device pattern.

89. The method of claim 87, wherein said step of selecting one of said at least one reference image comprises (i) receiving an input from a human interface device and (ii) selecting said reference image corresponding to said input.

90-91. -91. (canceled)