Automated system and method for identifying and measuring packages transported through a laser scanning tunnel

• US 6,554,189 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ghosh, Sankar, Zhu, Xiaoxun, Good, Timothy A., Au, Ka Man, Wilz, David M. Sr., Scott, Ian A., Kolis, George, Blake, Robert E., Germaine, Gennady, Colavito, Stephen J., Dickson, LeRoy, Amundsen, Thomas, Dehennis, Andrew D., Rockstein, George B., Knowles, Carl Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US09/490,483
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.22, 235/462.34, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1013 Multi-focal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 : with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

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.

Claims

1. An automated package identification and dimensioning system comprising:

an omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem for producing a plurality of laser scanning beams for reading bar code symbols on packages entering said omni-directional 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 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 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 a vector-based ray-tracing method, coordinate transformations, and decision logic to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem.

2. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems mounted from a scanner support framework, arranged about a high-speed conveyor structure, so that each laser scanning subsystem projects a highly-defined 3-D omni-directional scanning volume with a large depth-of-field, above the conveyor structure so as to collectively provide omni-directional scanning within each of the three principal scanning planes of said omni-directional scanning system.

3. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 2, which further comprises a split-type conveyor having first and second conveyor platforms, and a gap disposed between said first and second conveyor platforms, for mounting an omni-directional projection-type laser scanning subsystem below said first and second conveyor platforms and extending substantially the entire width of said conveyor platforms.

4. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 2, wherein said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a plurality of holographic laser scanners arranged about a conveyor structure as to produce a bidirectional scanning pattern along the principal axes of a three-dimensional laser scanning volume.

5. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 4, wherein each said holographic laser scanner employed in the system projects said three-dimensional laser scanning volume having multiple focal planes and a highly confined geometry extending about a projection axis extending from a scanning window in said holographic laser scanner and above the conveyor structure of the system.

6. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein singulated packages can be detected, dimensioned, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through said omnidirectional scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.

7. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 6, wherein said package dimensioning subsystem is disposed on the input side of said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning singulated packages passing through said package dimensioning subsystem.

8. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein said omnidirectional scanning tunnel subsystem has an input side and an output side, and further comprises:

a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight; and

a moving package tracking queue maintained in said data element queuing, handling, and processing subsystem, so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering said scanning tunnel subsystem, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.

9. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by said laser scanning subsystem, information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produced symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.

10. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems generating an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using a conveyor subsystem having a conveyor surface.

11. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 10, wherein said laser scanning subsystems comprise a plurality of holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also a plurality of polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing said conveyor surface.

12. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 11, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a holographic scanning disc having holographic scanning facets with multiple holographic facet sectors, and a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector (or segment) produced the laser scanning beam used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.

13. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 12, wherein said device generates information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector produced the laser scanning beam used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem, independent of the angular velocity of the holographic scanning disc or variations in such angular velocity.

14. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 11, wherein each non-holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a polygon scanning element having mirror facets with mirror facet sectors, and a device for generating information specifying which mirror facet or mirror facet sector produced the laser scanning beam used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.

15. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 14, wherein said device generates information specifying which mirror facet or mirror facet sector produced the laser scanning beam used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem, independent of the angular velocity of the polygon scanning element or variations in such angular velocity.

16. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 9, wherein said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within a laser scanning subsystem employed in said omni-directional holographic scanning tunnel subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.

17. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 16, wherein said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within said laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within said omni-directional scanning tunnel system.

18. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 16, wherein said data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package dimensioned by the package dimensioning subsystem.

20. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 18, which further comprises a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.

21. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 8, which further comprises a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from said package dimensioning subsystem through said omni-directional scanning tunnel subsystem.

22. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 21, wherein said package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using a pair of spaced-apart laser beams projected over a conveyor structure so that when a package interrupts these laser beams, electrical pulses are automatically generated and processed using a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of said package transported along said conveyor structure.

23. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 8, which further comprises a package weighing-in-motion subsystem for weighing singulated packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.

19. The automated package identification and dimensioning 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 scanning tunnel system.

24. An automated package identification and dimensioning 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

a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem for queuing, handling and processing data elements produced by said laser scanning tunnel subsystem and said package detection and dimensioning subsystem and being representative of package identification and/or package dimensions, 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 automatically tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.

25. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 24, wherein said laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each said laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by said laser scanning subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produced symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.

26. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of laser scanning subsystems generate an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using said package conveyor subsystem.

27. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 26, wherein said package conveyor subsystem has a conveyor surface and said laser scanning subsystems comprise holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing said conveyor surface.

28. The automated package identification and dimensioning system of claim 27, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in said laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a holographic scanning disc having holographic scanning facets with multiple facet sectors, and a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector produced the laser scanning beam used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.