Container identification and tracking system

• US 7,286,683 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB AB (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hadell, Per Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hung; Yubin
• Application Number:
  US10/417,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20040126015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382/182, 382309-311, 707/215, 707/221, 707/225, 701/204, 701/207, 701/223
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/46 Position indicators for suspended loads or for crane elements
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 19/002 Container cranes B66C19/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A system for automatically identifying containers that are loaded/unloaded by a crane and for capturing and/or analyzing images of at least a part of the container. A camera control system is arranged to receive information generated in, and/or transmitted from, a crane control system thereby controlling at least one of the functions of one or more cameras in order to capture one or more images of at least a part of the container. A method for identifying and tracking a container handled by a crane in a container terminal includes locating/mounting one or more cameras on a crane structure; activating the correct camera or cameras when a container is near or approaching the camera level; capturing one or more images of at least a part of the container; analyzing the captured images to identify the container ID; and recording/storing the ID and information regarding the container.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and tracking a container handled by a crane in a container terminal, comprising:

selecting a correct camera or cameras when a detected container is near or approaching a level of the camera or cameras,

setting a correct image size of the camera by changing a zoom value,

capturing one or more images of the container and/or an ID marking area of the detected container,

analyzing captured images to identify an ID number of the detected container,

recording/storing the ID number of the detected container and

recording/storing a time and position of disconnecting the detected container from a spreader.

2. A system for automatically capturing and/or analyzing images of at least a part of a container that is handled by a crane, the system comprising:

at least one camera,

a camera control system, and

a crane control system, wherein the camera control system is arranged to receive information generated in and/or transmitted from the crane control system thereby controlling at least one function of the at least one camera in order to capture one or more images of at least a part of the container, and wherein the camera control system is arranged to start and/or stop an image capturing procedure based upon information of a spreader vertical speed and a spreader height position transmitted from the crane control system.

3. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein at least one camera is arranged on the crane.

4. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the camera is arranged at a distance of 5 to 7 meters from ground.

5. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 4, wherein the camera is arranged at a distance of about 6 meters above ground.

6. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein at least two cameras are arranged on the crane in order to capture images of both sides of the container.

7. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein at least three cameras are arranged on the crane in order to capture images of a marking area of a container and for covering all positions where a container marking area may occur.

8. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the camera control system is arranged to activate at least one camera out of information transmitted from the crane control system.

9. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the camera control system is arranged to select what camera or cameras should be activated for image capturing out of information of the spreader size transmitted from the crane control system.

10. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the camera control system is arranged to determine a relevant zoom position of each activated camera out of information of a trolley position transmitted from the crane control system.

11. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 10, wherein the relevant zoom position of the camera is defined by that the image captured is essentially covering a target container marking area.

12. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the at least one camera is arranged in such that a lens axis is essentially parallel to a camera level and a centerline of the spreader.

13. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 12, wherein the camera control system is arranged to automatically create a wire rope stretching/elongation compensation by applying a correction value that recalibrates a container height value that initiates a starting and/or stopping of the capturing of images.

14. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 12, wherein the camera control system is arranged to automatically create a correction if a camera lens axis is not essentially parallel to the camera level, and to recalibrates a container height value that initiates a starting and stopping of the capturing of images.

15. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the system includes at least two cameras arranged on the crane at a distance from each other, the distance between the at least two camerasa corresponding to a difference in locations where container marking areas of different container sizes may appear.

16. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein information/data generated by the camera control system, is transmitted to the crane control system, which is arranged to use that information as part of a container tracking and job order handling.

17. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 16, wherein the camera control system is arranged to transmit the information of an ID of the container to the crane control system.

18. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 17 wherein the camera control system is arranged to transmit a value of a reliability of an analysis of the container ID to the crane control system.

19. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 16, wherein the camera control system is arranged to transmit a measurement error code, defined by a series of different errors, to the crane control system.

20. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein at least one camera is arranged to capture images of an entire container in order to determine the presence of possible external container damages.

21. The system for capturing and/or analyzing images according to claim 2, wherein the camera control system is arranged to determine a relevant zoom position of each activated camera out of information of the spreader position transmitted from the crane control system when an anti-sway control is utilized.

22. A system for capturing and/or analyzing images of at least a part of a container that is handled by a crane, the system comprising:

at least one camera,

a camera control system, and

a crane control system, wherein the camera control system is arranged to receive information generated in and/or transmitted from the crane control system thereby controlling at least one function of the at least one camera in order to capture one or more images of at least a part of the container, and wherein the camera control system is arranged to calculate an estimated time of arrival out of information of a spreader vertical speed and a spreader height position transmitted from the crane control system.