Method and a system for automatic measurement and tracking of logs, industrial wood and boards
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps oftaking, at a first location, at least one image of an object enabling identifying the object and recording the at least one image taken of the object and the first location of the object on a storage medium,transporting the object from the first location to a second location,taking, at the second location, at least one image of the object enabling identifying the object,using a computer for determining, at the second location, using the at least one image taken at the first location and the at least one image taken at the second location, the first location of the object,and outputting information on the determined first location of the object, wherein the object is a log.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for tracking and measuring volume, shape and surfaces of objects, such as logs, simultaneously. In series of load and unload operations along a procurement line, series of images are captured by e.g., CCD stereo cameras with sufficient spatial resolution capabilities. Simultaneously, the location of objects (logs) are registered by a GPS system aiding the tracking of the objects. The load and unload operations are typically performed by machineries such as harvesters, forwarders or trucks all equipped with a crane. On such machines digital cameras are mounted on jib arms and a computer system is attached. A GPS system is mounted on the machines too and the computer system is attached here as well. Thus the real time processing of stereo images can be accomplished and the volume, shape and surface of the 3D objects are computed simultaneously with their location in space. The resulting data are sent to a central database that keeps track of objects and their locations. These data are then again available for the following step in the procurement line as “a priory” information, facilitating the computation of the size, shape, surface and location of logs (objects) at the current load/unload operation. A chain of information provided by this invention will profoundly increase efficiency of any production chain subjectable to the presented method.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of
taking, at a first location, at least one image of an object enabling identifying the object and recording the at least one image taken of the object and the first location of the object on a storage medium, transporting the object from the first location to a second location, taking, at the second location, at least one image of the object enabling identifying the object, using a computer for determining, at the second location, using the at least one image taken at the first location and the at least one image taken at the second location, the first location of the object, and outputting information on the determined first location of the object, wherein the object is a log.
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16. A system for tracking an object being transported from a first location to a second location, the system comprising:
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a means for taking, at a first location, at least one image of a object enabling identifying the object and recording the at least one image taken of the object and the first location of the object on a storage medium, a means for transporting the object from the first location to a second location, a means for taking, at the second location, at least one image of the object enabling identifying the object, and a computer for determining, at the second location, using the at least one image taken at the first location and the at least one image taken at the second location, the first location of the object, and a means for outputting information on the determined first location of the object, wherein the object is a log.
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Specification