Methods and apparatus processing container images and/or identifying codes for front end loaders or container handlers servicing rail cars

• US 8,146,813 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HKI Systems and Service LLC
• Original Assignee: Paceco Corporation (Mitsui E&S Company Limited)
• Inventors: King, Henry, Takehara, Toru
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US12/262,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20090108065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/454, 235/375, 340/10.1
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2203/041 Camera
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 63/004 for containers
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0755 Position control; Position detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/186 Container lifting frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

An optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler for transferring a container to/from a rail car. A server interface configured to receive from at least one container handler. An optical characteristic system configured to couple to a front end loader. A container handler configured to transfer at least one container to/from a rail car and to report its container image, optical characteristic, container code estimate of the container, a rail car identifier estimate and/or a container chassis identifier estimate. A rail kiosk configured to receive the container image, etc from at least one container handler to create the optical characteristic, the container code estimate, manifest for the rail car, confirmation of the manifest and/or an insurance record for the container. A method operating at least one of the server interface, the rail kiosk and a container inventory management system and the products of those operations.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one member of an optical group; and

a container inventory management system configured to receive at least one member, and configured to also produce another at least one member, of the group consisting of

a container code estimate of a container based upon at least one member of said optical group created by an optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler configured to transfer said container to/from a rail car,

a manifest of said rail car,

a confirmation of said manifest, and

an insurance record for said container;

wherein said optical group comprises

a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container at least twenty feet long,

an optical characteristic derived from said container image,

a container code estimate of a container code,

a rail car identifier of said rail car, and

a container chassis identifier of a container chassis; and

wherein said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said insurance record is created using at least one of said container images for each of at least one member of the face group of said container, said face group consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a front face, a back face, a left face and a right face, each of said container;

and

wherein said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said front end loader is a member of the group consisting of a top handler and a side picker;

wherein said optical characteristic further includes a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement; and

wherein said gantry crane is a member of the group consisting of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane; and

wherein said container handler is further configured to wirelessly report said at least one member of said optical group.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to a means for communicating.

5. The apparatus of claim 4,

wherein said processor includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a finite state machine, a neural network, an inferential engine, and a computer accessibly coupled to a computer readable memory including at least one member of a program system and an installation package configured to affect said program system;

wherein said means for wireless communicating includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a wireless network interface compliant with a wireless network protocol, a wireline network interface compliant with a wireline network protocol, and a radio compliant with a radio communications protocol.

6. The apparatus of claim 5,

wherein said program system includes at least one member of the group consisting of the program steps of:

operating said means for communicating to send a report of said member of said optical group;

operating said means for communicating to receive said member of said optical group;

creating said optical characteristic based upon said container image;

creating said container code estimate from at least one of said members of said group consisting of said container image and said optical characteristic;

creating said manifest for said rail car;

creating said confirmation of said manifest; and

creating said insurance record for said container.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

an optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car to create at least one member of the optical group consisting of

a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,

an optical characteristic derived from said container image and

a container code estimate of a container code on said face,

where said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane;

wherein said front end loader is a member of the group consisting of a top handler and a side picker;

wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image;

wherein said optical characteristic system comprises

a processor communicatively coupled to at least one camera configured to create said container image of said container being transferred to/from said rail car; and

said processor communicatively coupled to a means for communicating to send at least one member of said optical group.

8. The apparatus of claim 7,

wherein said optical characteristic further includes a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement;

and

wherein said gantry crane is a member of the group consisting of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane;

wherein said optical characteristic system is further configured to wirelessly report said at least one member of said optical group.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said optical characteristic system further comprises said processor communicatively coupled with a sensor module to create a position estimate;

and

wherein said processor communicatively coupled to at least one camera configured to create said container image further comprises said processor configured to direct said camera based upon said position estimate to at least partly create said container image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9,

wherein said processor includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a finite state machine, a neural network, an inferential engine, and a computer accessibly coupled to a computer readable memory including at least one member of a program system and an installation package configured to affect said program system;

wherein said sensor module includes at least one member of the group consisting of a presence sensor, a stack height sensor, a size sensor, a twistlock sensor, a spreader sensor, a landing sensor and a hoist sensor;

wherein said means for communicating includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a wireless network interface compliant with a wireless network protocol, a wireline network interface compliant with a wireline network protocol, and a radio compliant with a radio communications protocol.

11. The apparatus of claim 10,

wherein said program system includes at least one member of the group consisting of the program steps of:

operating said sensor module to create said position estimate of said container;

controlling said camera based upon said position estimate to create said container image;

operating said means for communicating to send said report of said member of said optical group;

creating said optical characteristic based upon said container image;

creating said container code estimate from at least one of said container image and said optical characteristic;

creating a rail car identifier estimate of a rail car identifier of said rail car;

creating a container chassis identifier estimate of a container chassis estimate of a container chassis holding said container for part of said transfer;

creating a manifest for said rail car;

creating a confirmation of said manifest; and

creating an insurance record for said container.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a container handler configured to transfer at least one container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car and configured to wirelessly report at least one member of the optical group consisting of

a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,

an optical characteristic derived from said container image and

a container code estimate of a container code on said face;

wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes at least one of

an optical enhancement of said container image, and

a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement;

wherein said container handler a member of the group consisting of a reach stacker, a gantry crane, and a front end loader is one of a top handler and a side picker,

wherein said gantry crane is one of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane;

wherein said container handler comprises

a processor communicatively coupled to at least one camera configured to create said container image of said container being transferred to/from said rail car; and

said processor communicatively coupled to a means for communicating to send at least one member of said optical group.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said container handler further comprises said processor communicatively coupled with a sensor module to create a position estimate;

and

wherein said processor communicatively coupled to said at least one camera configured to create said container image further comprises said processor configured to direct said camera based upon said position estimate to at least partly create said container image.

14. The apparatus of claim 13,

wherein said processor includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a finite state machine, a neural network, an inferential engine, and a computer accessibly coupled to a computer readable memory including at least one member of a program system and an installation package configured to affect said program system;

wherein said sensor module includes at least one member of the group consisting of a presence sensor, a stack height sensor, a size sensor, a twistlock sensor, a spreader sensor, a landing sensor and a hoist sensor;

wherein said means for communicating includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a wireless network interface compliant with a wireless network protocol, a wireline network interface compliant with a wireline network protocol, and a radio compliant with a radio communications protocol.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said program system includes at least one member of the group consisting of the program steps of:

operating said sensor module to create said position estimate of said container;

controlling said camera based upon said position estimate to create said container image;

operating said means for communicating to send said report of said member of said optical group;

creating said optical characteristic based upon said container image; and

creating said container code estimate from at least one of said container image and said optical characteristic.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a rail kiosk configured

to receive at least one member of an optical group from at least one container handler and/or an optical characteristic system coupled to said container handler, said container handler configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long, to create at least one member,

and further to produce another of at least one member, of the group consisting of

another of said members of said optical group,

a manifest for a rail car involved with said transfer of said container,

a confirmation of said manifest, and

an insurance record for said container;

wherein said optical group consists of

a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,

an optical characteristic derived from said container image,

a container code estimate of a container code on said face,

a rail car identifier estimate of a rail car identifier on said rail car, and

a container chassis identifier estimate of a container chassis identifier of a container chassis holding said container during at least part of said transfer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said container handler a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane;

wherein said insurance record is created using at least one of said container images for each of at least two members of the face group of said container, said face group consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a front face, a back face, a left face and a right face, each of said container; and

wherein said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image; and

wherein said rail kiosk further comprises

a second processor configured to receive said member of said optical group; and

said second processor is configured to create at least one member of the group consisting of

said optical characteristic from said container image;

said container code estimate from at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical characteristic,

said manifest for said rail car,

said confirmation of said manifest, and

said insurance record for said container.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said front end loader is a member of the group consisting of a top handler and a side picker;

wherein said optical characteristic further includes a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement; and

wherein said gantry crane is a member of the group consisting of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane;

wherein said rail kiosk is configured to wirelessly receive said member of said optical group from said optical characteristic system.

19. The apparatus of claim 17,

wherein said second processor includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a finite state machine, a neural network, an inferential engine, and a computer accessibly coupled to a computer readable memory including at least one member of a program system and an installation package configured to affect said program system;

wherein said second means for communicating includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a wireless network interface compliant with a wireless network protocol, a wireline network interface compliant with a wireline network protocol, and a radio compliant with a radio communications protocol.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said program system includes at least one member of the group consisting of the program steps of:

operating said second means for communicating to receive said member of said optical group;

creating said optical characteristic based upon said container image;

creating said container code estimate from at least one of said members of said group consisting of said container image and said optical characteristic;

creating said container chassis identifier estimate of said container chassis estimate of said container chassis holding said container for part of said transfer;

creating a manifest for said rail car;

creating said confirmation of said manifest; and

creating said insurance record for said container.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a server interface configured to receive at least one member of an optical group

from a container handler, configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car,

to create at least one member of the group consisting of

another of said member of said optical group,

a manifest for at least a rail car,

a confirmation of said manifest, and

an insurance record for said container created using at least one of said container images for each of at least one member of the face group of said container, said face group consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a front face, a back face, a left face and a right face, each of said container;

wherein said server interface comprises

a second processor communicatively coupled to a second means for communicating to receive said member of said optical group;

wherein said optical group consists of the members of

a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,

an optical characteristic derived from said container image,

an container code estimate of a container code on said face,

a rail car identifier of said rail car, and

a container chassis identifier of a container chassis holding said container;

wherein said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane;

wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said front end loader is a member of the group consisting of a top handler and a side picker;

wherein said optical characteristic further includes a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement; and

wherein said gantry crane is a member of the group consisting of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane;

wherein said container handler is further configured to wirelessly report said at least one member of said optical group; and

wherein said server interface is further configured to wirelessly receive said member of said optical group from said container hander.

23. The apparatus of claim 21,

wherein said second processor configured to create at least one member of the group consisting of

said optical characteristic from said container image;

said container code estimate from at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical characteristic,

said manifest for said rail car,

said confirmation of said manifest, and

said insurance record for said container.

24. The apparatus of claim 23,

wherein said second processor includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a finite state machine, a neural network, an inferential engine, and a computer accessibly coupled to a computer readable memory including at least one member of a program system and an installation package configured to affect said program system;

wherein said second means for wireless communicating includes at least one instance of at least one member of the group consisting of a wireless network interface compliant with a wireless network protocol, a wireline network interface compliant with a wireline network protocol, and a radio compliant with a radio communications protocol.

25. The apparatus of claim 24,

wherein said program system includes at least one member of the group consisting of the program steps of:

operating said second means for communicating to receive said member of said optical group;

creating said optical characteristic based upon said container image;

creating said container code estimate from at least one of said members of said group consisting of said container image and said optical characteristic;

creating said manifest for said rail car;

creating said confirmation of said manifest; and

creating said insurance record for said container.