Automated system and method for identifying and measuring packages transported through a laser scanning tunnel
First Claim
1. An automated package identification and measuring system comprising:
- an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem for producing a plurality of laser scanning beams for reading bar code symbols on packages entering said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem, and producing package identification data representative of each package identified by the bar code symbol read on said package;
a package dimensioning subsystem for capturing package measurement information about each said package prior to said package entering said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem, and producing package measurement data representative of said captured package measurement information;
a computer subsystem for collecting and queuing package identification data and package measurement data, and creating, on a real-time basis, mathematical models for both the geometry of said package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol on said package;
wherein said mathematical models are analyzed using vector-based ray-tracing method, homogenous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem.
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Abstract
A fully automated package identification and measuring system, in which an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel. Mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon. The mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.
139 Citations
43 Claims
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1. An automated package identification and measuring system comprising:
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an omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem for producing a plurality of laser scanning beams for reading bar code symbols on packages entering said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem, and producing package identification data representative of each package identified by the bar code symbol read on said package;
a package dimensioning subsystem for capturing package measurement information about each said package prior to said package entering said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem, and producing package measurement data representative of said captured package measurement information;
a computer subsystem for collecting and queuing package identification data and package measurement data, and creating, on a real-time basis, mathematical models for both the geometry of said package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol on said package;
wherein said mathematical models are analyzed using vector-based ray-tracing method, homogenous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and object-oriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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19. The automated package identification and measuring system 17, wherein said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel system.
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26. An automated package identification and measuring system for detecting, dimensioning, and identifying
singulated packages in a fully automated manner without human intervention, comprising: -
a laser scanning tunnel subsystem for reading bar code symbols on packages transported through said laser scanning tunnel subsystem, said laser scanning tunnel subsystem having an input side and an output side and producing data elements representative of package identification;
a package conveyor subsystem for transporting packages through said laser scanning tunnel subsystem;
a package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of said laser scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning singulated packages passing through said package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing data elements representative of package dimensions and/or weight; and
a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein a moving package tracking queue is maintained so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the laser scanning tunnel subsystem, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
a first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures;
a height data processor for processing arrays of height profile data collected from the first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect stacked arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem; and
a width data processor for processing arrays of width profile data collected from the second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect side-by-side arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and upon detecting either a stacked configuration of packages or a side-by-side configuration of packages, automatically generating an unique data element indicative of such multiple package arrangements along the conveyor belt, and placing this unique data element in the moving package tracking queue in said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem so that said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem can cause an auxiliary subsystem to reroute such multiple packages through a singulation unit and then returned to pass once again through said automated package identification and measuring system.
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43. The automated package identification and measuring system of claim 26, which further comprises a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing singulated packages moving through said package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.
Specification