EVALUATING IMAGE VALUES

• US 20180033214A1
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ackley, H. Sprague
• Granted Patent: US 10,593,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00

Abstract

Images of items are evaluated. A first image of the item, having a view of two or more of its surfaces, is captured at a first time. A measurement of at least one dimension of one or more of the surfaces is computed and stored. A second image of the item, having a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces, is captured at a second time, subsequent to the first time. A measurement of the dimension is then computed and compared to the stored first measurement. The computed measurement is evaluated based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing a first image of an item having three dimensions each represented by a surface at a first time, the first image comprising a view of at least two or more surfaces of the item;

computing dimensions of the item based on the first captured image;

capturing a second image of the item at a second time, the second image comprising a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces;

computing dimensions of the item based on the second captured image;

comparing the dimensions of the item computed based on the second captured image with the dimensions of the item computed based on the first captured image; and

accepting the dimensions computed by the second captured image for use when the dimensions of the item computed using the second captured image are in range of the dimensions of the item computed using the first captured image.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising comparing one or more surface features of the item in the second captured image with one or more surface features of the item in the first captured image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surfaces features relate to a corresponding chromatic characteristic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surface features comprise at least one of a logo or a bar code pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured first image and the captured second image each comprise information based on one or more of data relating to a characteristic of the item or data relating to a wireframe model of the item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information relates to one or more features of one or more surfaces of the item.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surface features relate to at least one of a text based, alphanumeric, ideographic, or pictographic symbol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the comparing step comprises establishing an identity between a representation of the item in the second image with a representation of the item in the first image.

9. The method of claim 2, comprising:

delineating a boundary about a periphery of the one or more surface features in the first captured image;

mapping the delineated boundary to corresponding locations in a coordinate system;

storing data corresponding to the mapped boundary;

recognizing the one or more surface features in the captured second image;

surveying data corresponding to the boundary in relation to the recognized one or more surface features;

comparing the surveyed boundary data to the stored boundary data; and

basing the accepting step, at least in part, on the step of comparing the surveyed boundary data to the stored boundary data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more surfaces of the item comprise at least three surfaces.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing the first image step comprises recording the view of the two or more surfaces of the item from a perspective associated with a first position of the item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the capturing the second image step comprises recording the view of the at least one of the two or more surfaces from a perspective associated with a second position of the item, which is displaced relative to the first position.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising certifying, based on the comparison step, a charge for a commercial transaction relating to one or more of storing or transporting the item.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising certifying, based on the comparison step, a dimensioner for a commercial use.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising;

capturing at least one third image of the item after the first time, the third image comprising a view of two or more surfaces of the item;

computing dimensions of the item based on the third captured image;

comparing the dimensions of the item computed based on the third captured image with the dimensions of the item computed based on the first captured image;

approving and storing the measurement computed in relation to the captured at least third image based on the comparison to the stored first measurement;

computing a mean value based on a stored first measurement and the stored approved measurement based on the captured at least third image; and

correcting a rejected second captured image based on the computed mean value.

16. A dimensioning device, comprising:

a camera configured to capture images of an item having three dimensions each represented by a surface;

a processor configured to;

capture, with the camera, a first image of the item at a first time, the first image comprising a view of two or more surfaces of the item;

compute dimensions of the item based on the first captured image;

capture, with the camera, a second image of the item at a second time, which is subsequent to the first time, the second image comprising a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces;

compute dimensions of the item based on the second captured image;

compare the dimensions of the item computed based on the second captured image with the dimensions of the item computed based on the first captured image; and

reject the dimensions computed by the second captured image for use when the dimensions of the item computed using the second captured image are not in range of the dimensions of the item computed using the first captured image.

17. The dimensioning device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to accept the dimensions computed by the second captured image for use when the dimensions of the item computed using the second captured image are in range of the dimensions of the item computed using the first captured image.

18. The dimensioning device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to compare one or more surface features of the item in the second captured image with one or more surface features of the item in the first captured image.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when read and executed by a computer processor are operable for performing, controlling or causing a process, the process comprising:

capturing a first image of an item having three dimensions each represented by a surface at a first time, the first image comprising a view of at least two or more surfaces of the item;

computing dimensions of the item based on the first captured image;

capturing a second image of the item at a second time, the second image comprising a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces;

computing dimensions of the item based on the second captured image;

comparing the dimensions of the item computed based on the second captured image with the dimensions of the item computed based on the first captured image; and

rejecting the dimensions computed by the second captured image for use when the dimensions of the item computed using the second captured image are not in range of the dimensions of the item computed using the first captured image.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the process comprises accepting the dimensions computed by the second captured image for use when the dimensions of the item computed using the second captured image are in range of the dimensions of the item computed using the first captured image.