Methods, apparatuses, and systems for image-based measurement and inspection of pre-engineered structural components
First Claim
1. A system for inspecting a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:
- a) a light source that illuminates a portion of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate;
b) a camera that (i) receives a reflection of said light source from said pre-engineered structural component and (ii) generates an image output corresponding to said reflection;
c) a memory storage that stores at least one reference data, said at least one reference data corresponding to at least one reference structural component design;
d) a processing unit with an internal memory in communication with said light source, said camera, and said memory storage; and
e) programming in said processing unit that (i) receives said camera image output into internal memory, (ii) detects a characteristic of said pre-engineered structural component from said camera image output, said characteristic selected from the group of;
the presence of a lumber piece, the relative position of a lumber piece, the presence of a support plate, the relative position of a support plate, and combinations thereof, (iii) compares said characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of said at least one reference data, and (iv) provides a result of said comparison.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for image-based measurement and inspection of pre-engineered structural components, such as building trusses and wall panels. A system can include: a light source; a camera; a first memory storage; a second memory storage; and a processing unit configured to (i) detect a characteristic of the structural component, (ii) compare the characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of at least one reference data, and (iii) indicate a result of the comparison. A method can include: causing a light source to illuminate a portion of the structural component, receiving a reflection of the light source from the illuminated portion of the structural component, and storing data corresponding to the intensity of the reflection; comparing the stored data to at least one reference data; and indicating a result of the comparison.
21 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system for inspecting a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:
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a) a light source that illuminates a portion of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate; b) a camera that (i) receives a reflection of said light source from said pre-engineered structural component and (ii) generates an image output corresponding to said reflection; c) a memory storage that stores at least one reference data, said at least one reference data corresponding to at least one reference structural component design; d) a processing unit with an internal memory in communication with said light source, said camera, and said memory storage; and e) programming in said processing unit that (i) receives said camera image output into internal memory, (ii) detects a characteristic of said pre-engineered structural component from said camera image output, said characteristic selected from the group of;
the presence of a lumber piece, the relative position of a lumber piece, the presence of a support plate, the relative position of a support plate, and combinations thereof, (iii) compares said characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of said at least one reference data, and (iv) provides a result of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for inspecting a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:
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a. a light source that illuminates a portion of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate; b. a camera that (i) receives a reflection of said light source from said pre-engineered structural component and (ii) generates an image output corresponding to said reflection; c. a memory storage that stores at least one reference data, said at least one reference data corresponding to at least one reference structural component design; d. a processing unit with an internal memory in communication with said light source, said camera, and said memory storage; and e. programming in said processing unit that (i) receives said camera image output into internal memory, (ii) detects a characteristic selected from the group consisting of;
the size of at least one lumber piece, the shape of at least one lumber piece, the color of at least one lumber piece, the absolute position of at least one lumber piece, the relative position of at least one lumber piece, the size of at least one support plate, the shape of at least one support plate, the color of at least one support plate, the absolute position of at least one support plate, the size of at least one identification device, the shape of at least one identification device, the color of at least one identification device, the absolute position of at least one identification device, and combinations thereof, (iii) compares said characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of said at least one reference data, and (iv) provides a result of said comparison.
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21. An apparatus for validating the construction of a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:
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a) an emitter for projecting photons towards a portion of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate; b) a receiver for detecting a reflection of said photons from said portion of said pre-engineered structural component and producing an output; and c) a processor in communication with said emitter, said receiver, and a program wherein said program (i) creates an electronic image of said pre-engineered structural component from said output, (ii) compares a characteristic of said image selected from the group of;
the presence of a lumber piece, the relative position of a lumber piece, the presence of a support plate, the relative position of a support plate, and combinations thereof to a corresponding characteristic of a reference image and (iii) provides a result of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of validating the construction of a pre-engineered structural component, comprising the steps of:
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a) moving said pre-engineered structural component from a first position to a second position in front of a backdrop; b) causing a light source to illuminate said pre-engineered structural component as it moves from said first position to said second position; c) receiving reflections of said light source from said pre-engineered structural component and backdrop as it moves from said first position to said second position, and storing data in a first portion of a data array, wherein said data corresponds to said reflections; d) selecting one of at least one reference array; e) searching the data in said first array to find the presence and relative location of a characteristic selected from the group of;
at least one lumber piece, at least one support plate, and combinations thereof;f) searching the data in said selected reference array to find the presence and relative location a corresponding characteristic selected from the group of;
at least one lumber piece, at least one support plate, and combinations thereof;g) determining how closely the presence and relative location of said characteristic found in said first array corresponds to the presence and location of said corresponding characteristic found in said reference array; and h) indicating a result of said determination. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for inspecting a pre-engineered structural component, comprising:
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a) a light source for illuminating a portion of said pre-engineered structural component, said pre-engineered structural component comprising lumber and at least one support plate; b) a camera for receiving a reflection from said pre-engineered structural component and generating an image output corresponding to said reflection; c) a memory for storing at least one reference data, said at least one reference data corresponding to at least one reference structural component design; and d) a processor with a memory in communication with said light source, said camera and said memory, wherein said processor (i) receives said image output into said memory, (ii) detects a characteristic of said pre-engineered structural component from said image output wherein said characteristic is selected from the group of;
the presence of a lumber piece, the relative position of a lumber piece, the presence of a support plate, the relative position of a support plate, and combinations thereof, (iii) compares said characteristic to a corresponding characteristic of said at least one reference data, and (iv) provides a result of said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (43)
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Specification