Unitary package identification and dimensioning system employing ladar-based scanning methods

• US 7,104,453 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Good, Timothy A., Au, Ka Man, Wilz, David M. Sr., Ghosh, Sankar, Kolis, George, Blake, Robert E., Germaine, Gennady, Colavito, Stephen J., Rockstein, George B., Naylor, Charles A., Knowles, Carl Harry, Schnee, Michael D., Tsikos, Constantine J., Lodge, Francis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stcyr, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US10/009,368
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.14, 235/462.24, 359/216, 356/2, 356/3
• US Class Current: 235/462.14
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres
• 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 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• 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: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 : with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28575 : on semiconductor bodies comprising AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/452 : on AIII-BV compounds

Abstract

A fully automated package identification and measuring system (300), in which an onmidirectional holographic scanning tunnel (100) is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem (500, 600) 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 identificaton 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 unitary-type package identification and dimensioning system supported above a conveyor belt structure, said automated unitary-type package identification and measuring system comprising:

a single system housing supported above said conveyor belt structure;

a package identification subsystem, disposed within said single system housing, for reading bar codes on packages transported along said conveyor belt structures and producing package identification data that identifies each said package, and wherein said package identification subsystem includes a 1D imaging-based camera for capturing 1D images of said packages transported past said system housing; and

a package dimensioning subsystem, disposed within said single system housing, for capturing package dimension information about the dimensions of each said package as each said package is transported past said system housing, and for associating with said package dimension data with package identification data produced by said package identification subsystem.

2. The automated unitary-type package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein said package dimensioning subsystem comprises

(i) a Laser Detecting And Ranging (LADAR-based) scanning method for capturing two-dimensional range data maps of the space above said conveyor structure, along which said packages are transported, and

(ii) a two-dimensional image contour tracing method for extracting package dimension data from said two-dimensional range data maps.

3. The automated unitary-type package identification and dimensioning system of claim 1, wherein the velocity of each said package is computed by using a pair of amplitude modulated laser beams projected from said package dimensioning subsystem at different angular projections over slid conveyor belt structure along which said packages are transported.

4. The automated unitary-type package identification and measuring system of claim 3, wherein the amplitude modulated laser beams have multiple wavelengths to sense packages having a wide range of reflectivity characteristics.