TUNNEL-BASED METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING TRANSPORTED PACKAGES EMPLOYING THE TRANSMISSION OF PACKAGE DIMENSION DATA OVER A DATA COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF PACKAGE DIMENSION DATA AT LINEAR IMAGING SUBSYSTEMS IN SAID TUNNEL-BASED SYSTEM SO AS TO ENABLE THE CONTROL OF AUTO ZOOM/FOCUS CAMERA MODULES THEREWITHIN DURING LINEAR IMAGING OPERATIONS
First Claim
1. A tunnel-type automatic 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;
(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 first coordinate reference system;
(c) a first package identification (PID) unit mounted above said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a first 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 first package identification unit, and (iii) a first camera control computer operably connected to said first linear imaging subsystem and said package dimensioning subsystem, and the communication medium of said data communications network, said first camera control computer receiving said package dimension data and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said first linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported beneath said first PID unit, and said first camera control computer also transmitting said package dimension data over the communication medium of said data communications network; and
(d) a second package identification (PID) unit mounted along the side of said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a second 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 past said second PID unit, and (ii) a second camera control computer operably connected to said second linear imaging subsystem and the communication medium of said data communications network, and said second camera control computer receiving said package dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, converting said package dimension data into package dimension data referenced with respect a second coordinate reference system, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said second linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported past said second PID unit.
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Abstract
A camera-based tunnel-type package identification system comprising at least first and second camera units, a package dimension subsystem, and a data communications network installed about a conveyor belt structure. Each camera unit is mounted about the conveyor belt structure, and has a linear imaging subsystem with a field of view (FOV) having automatic zoom and focus imaging optics, and a camera control computer for controlling the operation of the imaging subsystem. During system operation, package dimension data from transported packages is transmitted over the data communications network to the first and second camera units. Each camera control computer converts received package dimension data to its local coordinate reference system, and generates camera control signals which drive the automatic zoom and focus imaging optics of its associated camera units to enable the capture and processing of linear images of the transported package.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A tunnel-type automatic package identification system for automatically identifying packages transported along a conveyor belt structure, said tunnel-type automatic package identification system comprising:
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(a) a data communications network having a communication medium;
(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 first coordinate reference system;
(c) a first package identification (PID) unit mounted above said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a first 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 first package identification unit, and (iii) a first camera control computer operably connected to said first linear imaging subsystem and said package dimensioning subsystem, and the communication medium of said data communications network, said first camera control computer receiving said package dimension data and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said first linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported beneath said first PID unit, and said first camera control computer also transmitting said package dimension data over the communication medium of said data communications network; and
(d) a second package identification (PID) unit mounted along the side of said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a second 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 past said second PID unit, and (ii) a second camera control computer operably connected to said second linear imaging subsystem and the communication medium of said data communications network, and said second camera control computer receiving said package dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, converting said package dimension data into package dimension data referenced with respect a second coordinate reference system, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said second linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported past said second PID unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tunnel-type automatic package identification system for automatically identifying packages transported along a conveyor belt structure, said tunnel-type automatic package identification system comprising:
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(a) a data communications network having a communication medium;
(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 first coordinate reference system;
(c) a first package identification (PID) unit mounted above said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a first 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 first package identification unit, and (iii) a first camera control computer operably connected to said first linear imaging subsystem and said package dimensioning subsystem, and the communication medium of said data communications network, said first camera control computer receiving said package dimension data and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said first linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported beneath said first PID unit, and said first camera control computer also transmitting said package dimension data over the communication medium of said data communications network; and
(d) a second package identification (PID) unit mounted below said conveyor belt structure, and having (i) a second 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 past said second PID unit, and (ii) a second camera control computer operably connected to said second linear imaging subsystem and the communication medium of said data communications network, and said second camera control computer receiving said package dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, converting said package dimension data into package dimension data referenced with respect a second coordinate reference system, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said second linear imaging subsystem as said package is transported past said second PID unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A camera-based tunnel-type package identification system comprising:
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a first camera unit mounted above a conveyor belt structure, and having a first linear imaging subsystem with a field of view (FOV) having automatic zoom and focus imaging optics, and a first camera control computer for controlling the operation of said first linear imaging subsystem;
a second camera unit mounted above a conveyor belt structure, and having a second linear imaging subsystem with a field of view (FOV) having automatic zoom and focus imaging optics, and a second camera control computer for controlling the operation of said second linear imaging subsystem;
a package dimension subsystem for producing package dimension data of packages being transported past said package dimension subsystem;
a data communications network operably connected to said first and second camera units and said package dimensioning subsystem;
wherein said package dimension subsystem generates package dimension data, and transmits said package dimension data to said first and second camera units over said data communications network, and wherein said first camera control computer converts received package dimension data into a first set of converted package dimension data referenced with respect to a first coordinate reference system local to said first camera unit, and generates camera control signals which drive said automatic zoom and focus imaging optics of said first camera unit to enable the capture and processing of linear images of said package during transport past said first camera unit so that said linear images captured by said first camera unit can be subsequently processed to enable identification of said transported package; and
wherein said second camera control computer converts received package dimension data into a second set of converted package dimension data referenced with respect to a second coordinate reference system local to said second camera unit, and generates camera control signals which drive said automatic zoom and focus imaging optics of said second camera unit to enable the capture and processing of linear images of said package during transport past said second camera unit so that said linear images captured by said second camera unit can be subsequently processed to enable identification of said transported package. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A camera-based tunnel-type object identification system comprising:
a plurality of auto-zoom/auto-focus camera subsystems, each said auto-zoom/auto-focus camera subsystem utilizing a package-dimension data driven camera control computer for automatic controlling the zoom and focus characteristics of said auto-zoom/auto-focus camera subsystem in a real-time manner.
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24. A method of automatically identifying objects transported along a conveyor belt structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) dimensioning an object transported along a conveyor belt structure, producing object dimension data representative of the spatial dimensions of said object with respect to a first coordinate reference system, and transmitting said object dimension data along a data communications network;
(b) using a first linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable zoom and variable focus characteristics and mounted above said conveyor belt structure, to produce linear images of said object as said object is being transported along said conveyor belt structure;
(c) using a second linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable zoom and variable focus characteristics and mounted along the side of said conveyor belt structure, to produce linear images of said object as said object is being transported along said conveyor belt structure;
(d) at said first linear imaging subsystem, receiving said object dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and dynamically controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said first linear imaging subsystem as said object is transported along said conveyor belt structure; and
(e) at said second linear imaging subsystem, receiving said object dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, converting said object dimension data into object dimension data referenced with respect a second coordinate reference system, and producing zoom and focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable zoom and variable focus characteristics of said second linear imaging subsystem as said object is transported along said conveyor belt structure; and
(f) whereby said one or both of said first and second linear imaging subsystems captures a sequence of linear images of said object, processes said sequence of linear images to recognize object identification indicia on the surface of said object, and thereby automatically identify said transported object. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of automatically identifying objects transported along a conveyor belt structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) dimensioning an object transported along a conveyor belt structure, producing object dimension data representative of the spatial dimensions of said object with respect to a first coordinate reference system, and transmitting said object dimension data along a data communications network;
(b) using a first linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable focus characteristics and mounted above said conveyor belt structure, to produce linear images of said object as said object is being transported along said conveyor belt structure;
(c) using a second linear imaging subsystem having a field of view (FOV) with variable focus characteristics and mounted along the side of said conveyor belt structure, to produce linear images of said object as said object is being transported along said conveyor belt structure;
(d) at said first linear imaging subsystem, receiving said object dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, and producing focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable focus characteristics of said first linear imaging subsystem as said object is transported along said conveyor belt structure; and
(e) at said second linear imaging subsystem, receiving said object dimension data transmitted along said data communications network, converting said object dimension data into object dimension data referenced with respect a second coordinate reference system, and producing focus control signals for automatically and controlling the variable focus characteristics of said second linear imaging subsystem as said object is transported along said conveyor belt structure; and
(f) whereby said one or both of said first and second linear imaging subsystems captures a sequence of linear images of said object, processes said sequence of linear images to recognize object identification indicia on the surface of said object, and thereby automatically identifies said transported object. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification