METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETERMINING PART WEAR BASED ON DIGITAL IMAGE OF PART

• US 20140105481A1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Hasselbusch, Michael D., Diekevers, Mark Steven, Lu, Stephen Paul, Mathews, Erich Owen, Blocksom, Jonathan Taylor, Goins, Todd R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,613,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining part wear using a mobile device. One such exemplary method includes capturing, using the mobile device, at least one digital image of a wear part of a machine. The method further includes determining, by the mobile device and based on the at least one digital image, a degree of wear of the wear part.

Claims

1. A method for determining part wear using a mobile device, comprising:

capturing, using the mobile device, at least one digital image of a wear part of a machine; and

determining, by the mobile device and based on the at least one digital image, a degree of wear of the wear part.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing, by the mobile device, an application to capture the at least one digital image and to determine the degree of wear of the wear part.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a degree of wear of the wear part includes:

identifying, in the at least one digital image, a wear edge of the wear part; and

measuring, in the at least one digital image, the wear edge of the wear part.

4. The method of claim 3, further including:

identifying, in the at least one digital image, at least one feature of the wear part;

wherein measuring includes measuring, in the at least one digital image, a value of a dimension of the wear part based on the identified wear edge and on the identified at least one feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein measuring a value of a dimension of the wear part includes measuring a distance from the identified at least one feature to the identified wear edge in the at least one digital image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein measuring a distance includes determining a number of pixels between the identified at least one feature and the identified wear edge in the at least one digital image.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a degree of wear of the wear part includes looking up the measured value of the dimension of the wear part in a wear table that defines the degree of wear of the wear part as a function of the value of the dimension.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein determining a degree of wear of the wear part further includes:

calibrating the at least one digital image; and

converting the measurement based on the calibration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein calibrating the at least one digital image includes:

identifying, in the at least one digital image, a first feature and a second feature of the wear part;

measuring, in the at least one digital image, a distance between the first feature and the second feature;

determining a known distance between the first feature and the second feature based on specification information for the wear part; and

calculating a calibration factor based on the measured distance and the known distance, and

wherein converting the measurement based on the calibration includes converting the measurement based on the calibration factor.

10. The method of claim 1, further including displaying, by the mobile device, an indication of the determined degree of wear of the wear part.

11. The method of claim 1, further including:

determining, by the mobile device, whether the degree of wear is greater than a threshold; and

sending, by the mobile device and based upon a determination that the degree of wear is greater than the threshold, a notification to a dealer system associated with the machine.

12. A mobile device configured for determining part wear, comprising:

a camera;

an input device for receiving input from a user of the mobile device;

a storage device storing an application; and

a processor configured to execute the stored application to;

receive, via the input device, a command from the user to capture an image;

capture, using the camera and responsive to the command, at least one digital image of a wear part of a machine; and

determine, based on the at least one digital image, a degree of wear of the wear part.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to:

identify, in the at least one digital image, a wear edge of the wear part;

measure, in the at least one digital image, the wear edge of the wear part; and

determine the degree of wear of the wear part based upon the measurement of the wear edge.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein, to measure the wear edge, the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to:

identify, in the at least one digital image, at least one feature of the wear part; and

measure, in the at least one digital image, a value of a dimension of the wear part based on the identified wear edge and on the identified at least one feature.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein, to measure a value of a dimension of the wear part, the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to measure a distance from the identified at least one feature to the identified wear edge in the at least one digital image.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein to measure a distance, the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to determine a number of pixels between the identified at least one feature and the identified wear edge in the at least one digital image.

17. The mobile device of claim 14, further including:

a wear table stored in the storage device that defines the degree of wear of the wear part as a function of the dimension;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to;

look up the measured value of the dimension of the wear part in the wear table; and

determine the degree of wear of the wear part based on the lookup.

18. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to:

calibrate the at least one digital image;

convert the measurement based on the calibration; and

determine a degree of wear of the wear part based on the converted measurement.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, further comprising:

specification information for the wear part, stored in the storage device, the specification information specifying a known distance between a first feature of the wear part and a second feature of the wear part;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to;

identify, in the at least one digital image, the first feature and the second feature of the wear part;

measure, in the at least one digital image, a distance between the first feature and the second feature;

determine the known distance between the first feature and the second feature based on the stored specification information for the wear part;

calculate a calibration factor based on the measured distance and the known distance; and

convert the measurement based on the calibration factor.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a display device;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to display an indication of the determined degree of wear of the wear part on the display device.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a network communication interface configured to communicate over an electronic communication network;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute the stored application to;

determine whether the degree of wear is greater than a threshold; and

send, over the electronic communication network and based upon a determination that the degree of wear is greater than the threshold, a notification to a dealer system associated with the machine.

22. A method for determining part wear using a mobile device, comprising:

receiving, over an electronic communication network from the mobile device, at least one digital image of a wear part of a machine;

determining, based on the at least one digital image, a degree of wear of the wear part; and

sending, over the electronic communication network to the mobile device, an indication of the determined degree of wear of the wear part.

23. A system for determining part wear using a mobile device, comprising:

a network communication interface configured to communicate over an electronic communication network;

a storage device storing an application; and

a processor configured to execute the stored application to;

receive, over the electronic communication network from the mobile device, at least one digital image of a wear part of a machine;

determine, based on the at least one digital image, a degree of wear of the wear part; and

send, over the electronic communication network to the mobile device, an indication of the determined degree of wear of the wear part.