Tunnel-type package identification system having a remote image keying station with an ethernet-over-fiber-optic data communication link

• US 6,851,610 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Knowles, C. Harry, Kim, Steven Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/165,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20030085281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-46247, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03, 235/470, 235/494, 235/454, 235/455
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0052 the light source comprising a laser diode coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0085 for use with both a detector and a source , e.g. in a transceiver, G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/009 for use with infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0095 for use with ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/095 Refractive optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/146 the method including quality enhancement steps
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/62 Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/144 using a slot moved over the image; using discrete sensing elements at predetermined points; using automatic curve following means
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/005 Optical components external to the laser cavity, specially adapted therefor, e.g. for homogenisation or merging of the beams or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping H01S5/026, H01S5/18388 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence

Abstract

A tunnel-type automatic package identification system for automatically identifying packages transported along a conveyor belt structure. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system comprises a data communications network, a package dimensioning subsystem and a package identification unit. The package identification subsystem is mounted above a conveyor belt structure in a work environment, and includes: a linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable zoom and variable focus characteristics, for producing linear images of packages as said packages are transported along said conveyor belt structure and beneath said package identification subsystem; and a camera control computer operably connected to the linear imaging subsystem and the package dimensioning subsystem, and the communication medium of the data communications network. The camera control computer receives the package dimension data producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of the linear imaging subsystem as the package is transported beneath the package identification subsystem. The camera control computer receives the package dimension data, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of the linear imaging subsystem as the package is transported past the package identification subsystem. An image keying station, located remotely from the work environment, is connected to the communications medium by way of an Ethernet-over-fiber-optic data communication link, and enables the operator of the image keying station to visually display images of packages which can not be identified by computer-based image processing, so that the operator may read such images and manually keyed into a database, information which identifies the package associated with the operator-read image. By virtue of the present invention, images of packages can be captured with constant dpi resolution, and if necessary, manually identified at a highly remote image keying station, thereby providing increased flexibility in setting up tunnel-type automatic package identification systems in industrial environments where high noise levels and other distractions to carrying out manual image reading operations are predominant.

Claims

1. A tunnel-type package identification system for automatically identifying packages transported along a conveyor belt structure, said tunnel-type automatic package identification system comprising:

(a) a data communications network having a communication medium supporting the Ethernet networking protocol;

(b) a package dimensioning subsystem for dimensioning each said package transported along a conveyor belt structure beneath said package dimensioning subsystem, and producing package dimension data representative of the spatial dimensions of said package with respect to a coordinate reference system;

(c) a package identification (PID) unit mounted above said conveyer belt structure in a work environment, and having

(i) a linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable zoom and variable focus characteristics, for producing linear images of packages as said packages are transported along said conveyor belt structure and beneath said package identification unit, and

(ii) a camera control computer operably connected to said first linear imaging subsystem and said package dimensioning subsystem, and the communication medium of said data communication network,

said camera control computer receiving said package dimension data producing zoom and focus control signals for dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported beneath said PID unit, and

said camera control computer receiving said package dimension data, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported past said PID unit; and

(d) an image keying station, located remotely from said work environment, and having an Ethernet-over-fiber-optic data communication link operably connected to said communications medium, enabling the operator of said image keying station to visually display images of packages which can not be identified by computer-based image processing, so that the operator may read such images and manually key into a database, information which identifies the package associated with the operator-read image.

2. The tunnel-type automatic package identification subsystem of claim 1, wherein said linear imaging subsystem comprises a planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based linear camera subsystem having a linear image detection array.

3. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 1, wherein said package dimensioning subsystem comprises a LADAR-based package dimensioning subsystem having means for producing an amplitude modulated (AM) laser scanning beam for scanning the surface of each said package us said package is transported under said first PID unit.

4. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 1, wherein said data communication network comprises a local area network supporting the Ethernet networking protocol.

5. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 1, wherein said coordinate reference subsystem is a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the structure of said PID unit.

6. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 1, wherein said package dimension data comprises package height, width, and length coordinate data.

7. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 1, wherein said PID unit further comprises a package velocity mechanism for measuring the velocity at each said package as said package is transported beneath said PID unit mid producing package velocity data that is produced to said camera control computer for transmission along the communication medium of said data communications network.

8. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 7, wherein said package velocity mechanism is integrated within said package dimensioning subsystem.

9. The tunnel-type automatic package identification system of claim 8, wherein said package dimensioning subsystem is integrated within said PID unit.