DIMENSIONING SYSTEM

• US 20140104416A1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Giordano, Patrick Anthony, Good, Timothy, Kearney, Sean Philip, Van Horn, Erik
• Application Number:
  US14/055,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2009/022 of solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/02 by measuring weight of a known volume
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging

Abstract

A method for determining the dimensions of an object comprises projecting a laser pattern (e.g., a visible laser pattern) onto an object, capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object, and determining the dimensions of the object based, at least in part, on the captured image. An exemplary method includes projecting a laser pattern (e.g., a grid or a set of lines) onto a rectangular box. Typically, the box is positioned such that two non-parallel faces are visible to the system or device projecting the laser pattern and a camera system with known field of view characteristics. The camera system is used to capture an image of the laser light reflecting off of the box.

Claims

1. A method for determining the dimensions of an object, comprising:

projecting a laser pattern onto the object;

capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object; and

determining the dimensions of the object based, at least in part, on the captured image.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of capturing an image is performed using a camera system with known field of view characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the known field of view characteristics comprise size of the field of view, aspect ratio, and/or distortion.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of capturing an image is performed using a camera system, the method comprising determining the distance between the camera system and the object.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of projecting a laser pattern onto the object and capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object are performed using an integrated device that projects the laser pattern and captures the image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of projecting a laser pattern onto the object comprises projecting a laser pattern having a central feature; and

the step of capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object comprises capturing an image such that the center of the captured image is outside the projected pattern'"'"'s central feature.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object is performed using a camera system having a field of view and dimensioning range; and

the step of projecting a laser pattern onto the object comprises projecting a laser pattern having a central feature such that the projected laser pattern'"'"'s central feature is within the camera system'"'"'s field of view over a substantial portion of the camera system'"'"'s dimensioning range.

8. A method for determining the dimensions of an object, comprising:

projecting a laser pattern onto the object, the laser pattern comprising laser lines having a profile with a divergence angle;

capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object using a camera system; and

determining the dimensions of the object based, at least in part, on the captured image.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein;

the camera system comprises pixels having a field of view divergence; and

the laser lines'"'"' divergence angle corresponds to the combined field of view divergence of about 10 or less of the camera system'"'"'s pixels.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein;

the camera system comprises pixels having a field of view divergence; and

the laser lines'"'"' divergence angle corresponds to the combined field of view divergence of between about 2 and 10 of the camera system'"'"'s pixels.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the laser lines'"'"' divergence angle is between about 1 and 30 milliradians.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the laser lines'"'"' divergence angle is between about 2 and 20 milliradians.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the laser lines'"'"' divergence angle is between about 3 and 10 milliradians.

14. A method for determining the dimensions of an object, comprising:

projecting a laser pattern onto the object, the laser pattern comprising a rectangle;

capturing an image of the projected pattern on the object; and

determining the dimensions of the object based, at least in part, on the captured image.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of projecting a laser pattern onto the object comprises projecting a laser pattern such that the rectangle aligns with the center of the captured image.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the laser pattern'"'"'s rectangle has a known dimension; and

the step of determining the dimension of the object comprises determining the dimensions of the object based on the rectangle'"'"'s known dimension.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the step of capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a camera system having a field of view; and

the step of projecting a laser pattern comprises projecting the laser pattern such that the center of the laser pattern'"'"'s rectangle aligns with the center of the camera system'"'"'s field of view.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the step of capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a camera system having a field of view; and

the step of projecting a laser pattern comprises projecting the laser pattern such that the center of the camera system'"'"'s field of view is within the laser pattern'"'"'s rectangle.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the step of capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a camera system having a field of view; and

the step of projecting a laser pattern comprises projecting the laser pattern such that the center of the camera system'"'"'s field of view is outside of the laser pattern'"'"'s rectangle.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

the step of capturing an image comprises capturing an image with a camera system having an optical axis; and

the step of projecting a laser pattern comprises projecting the laser pattern at an angle to the camera system'"'"'s optical axis.