METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING FISH CATCHES

• US 20130223693A1
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Original Assignee: University Of Massachusetts
• Inventors: Chamberlain, Glenn, Rothschild, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/110
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 73/10 Determining the quantity of the catch, e.g. by the pull or drag on the lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30128 Food products
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed towards determining, at sea, the respective weights of fish species that are part of a fish catch. By way of the present disclosure, images of a fish catch are taken using triangulation techniques involving stereo-photogrammetry. According to one embodiment, a method for estimating a total weight of a fish catch includes receiving a fish catch on a fishing vessel and capturing images of the fish catch. From the images, fishes are identified and the species to which the corresponding fishes belong are also identified. Using the images, lengths of the identified fishes as well as the total volume occupied by the fish catch are determined, which can be used to estimate the total weight of the fish catch.

Claims

1. A method for estimating a total weight of a fish catch, comprising:

capturing images of a fish catch;

the fish catch having been received on a fishing vessel;

identifying fishes in the image;

identifying, for each of the fishes, a species to which the corresponding fish belongs;

determining, from the images, lengths of fishes that are a part of the fish catch;

determining, from the images, a volume occupied by the fish catch; and

estimating the total weight of the fish catch based on the lengths of fishes and the volume occupied by the fish catch.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing images of the fish catch comprises:

capturing a first image from a first camera; and

simultaneously capturing a second image from a second camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, from the images, lengths of fishes that are a part of the fish catch comprises:

measuring, from the image, a characteristic length associated with the fish;

determining a species of the identified fish; and

determining a total fish length based on the measured characteristic length and the species to which the identified fish belongs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining a total fish length based on the measured characteristic length comprises solving a total length determination equation that correlates a particular characteristic length to a total fish length.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, from the images, a volume occupied by the fish catch, comprises:

identifying, on the image, boundaries formed by the fish catch;

selecting points at the identified boundaries; and

calculating the volume occupied by the selected points.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the total weight of the fish catch based on the lengths of fishes and the volume occupied by the fish catch comprises:

determining respective ratios of a number of fish of a particular species to a total number of identified fishes;

calculating an average fish species volume;

determining the total volume occupied by the identified fishes;

determining a total number of fish in each species from the total volume occupied by the identified fishes and the total volume occupied by the fish catch; and

determining a total weight of fish that belong to a particular species that are a part of the fish catch.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating an average fish species volume comprises

determining a volume of each of the identified fish for a particular species;

adding the volume of each of the identified fish for a particular species to generate a sum; and

dividing the sum by the number of identified fish for the particular species.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a total weight of fish that belong to a particular species that are a part of the fish catch comprises:

determining an average weight of a fish of the particular species; and

multiplying the average weight of a fish of the particular species to the number of fish of the particular species that are a part of the fish catch.

9. The method of claim 9, wherein determining an average weight of a fish of the particular species comprises accessing a database containing data correlating an average length of a fish to an average weight of a fish of the particular species.

10. A fishing vessel, comprising:

an image capture system that can capture images of a fish catch using stereo-photogrammetry; and

a fish catch weight measurement system that can estimate the total weight of the fish catch using the images captured by the image capture system.

11. The fishing vessel of claim 10, wherein the image capture system comprises:

a plurality of image capturing devices; and

an actuation device that can actuate the image capturing devices to capture an image of the fish catch.

12. The fishing vessel of claim 10, further comprising:

a catcher pen for holding the fish catch; and

wherein the image capturing devices are focused at the catcher pen.

13. The fishing vessel of claim 10, wherein the image capturing devices are digital cameras.

14. A fish catch weight measurement system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive images from an image capture system,

identify fishes from the images,

determine, for each identified fish, a fish species to which the fish belongs,

measure, for each identified fish, a characteristic length of the identified fish,

determine, for each identified fish, a total length of the identified fish from the characteristic length,

determine, for each identified fish, an estimated corresponding volume and weight of the identified fish,

determine a total volume occupied by the fish catch,

determine a total number of fish of each fish species, and

upon determining a total number of fish of each fish species, determine a total weight of fish in the fish catch that belong to a particular fish species.

15. The fish catch weight measurement system of claim 14, wherein the memory having further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine respective ratios of the number of fish of a particular fish species to the total number of identified fish for all fish species,

calculate an average fish species volume for each fish species, and

determine a total volume occupied by the identified fishes.

16. The fish catch weight measurement system of claim 14, wherein the memory having further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

calibrate the image capturing system from which the received images are being captured.

17. The fish catch weight measurement system of claim 14, wherein the memory having further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to store the images and associated data in a storage location.

18. A computer program product comprising computer usable media having computer readable code embodied therein, the computer readable code, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive images from an image capture system,

identify fishes from the images,

determine, for each identified fish, a fish species to which the fish belongs,

measure, for each identified fish, a characteristic length of the identified fish,

determine, for each identified fish, a total length of the identified fish from the characteristic length,

determine, for each identified fish, an estimated corresponding volume and weight of the identified fish,

determine a total volume occupied by the fish catch,

determine a total number of fish of each fish species, and

upon determining a total number of fish of each fish species, determine a total weight of fish in the fish catch that belong to a particular fish species.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the computer readable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

determine respective ratios of the number of fish of a particular fish species to the total number of identified fish for all fish species,

calculate an average fish species volume for each fish species, and

determine a total volume occupied by the identified fishes.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the computer readable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to:

calibrate the image capturing system from which the received images are being captured.