Method and system for container identification

• US 8,189,919 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asia Vision Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Asia Vision Technology Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Chung Mong, Wong, Wing Kin, Sin, Ka Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAWAN, SHEELA C
• Application Number:
  US11/965,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 382/182, 382/156, 382/157, 382/159, 382/158, 382/190, 382/187, 382/155, 382/142, 220/6, 220/23.83, 220/4.01, 220/220, 235/487, 235/492, 235/435, 235/439, 235/441, 235/454, 235/472.01, 235/472.03, 235/462.01, 235/462.43, 235/462.44, 206/521, 206/583, 206/423, 215/395
• US Class Current: 382/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/251 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1918 Fusion techniques, i.e. combining data from various sources, e.g. sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/274 Syntactic or semantic context, e.g. balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums

Abstract

A method and system for container identification are disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of digital images of a character sequence on the container, extracting the character sequences from the images, combining the character sequences into at least one identification code candidate, and selecting one of the candidates as the identification code. The system comprises at least one camera and a computer system that is electrically coupled to the camera, whereby when the computer system receives a trigger signal, said computer system takes a plurality of digital images from the camera, produces character sequences as partial recognition results for the plurality of digital images, and combines the partial recognition results together to produce the identification code.

Claims

1. A system for determining container code comprising:

at least one camera mounted on a container handler, said container handler hoisting or lowering a container;

a computer system that is electrically coupled to said at least one camera; and

electronic circuitry electrically coupled to said computer system;

a motor attached to said container handler;

a mobile support coupled to said motor;

whereby when said cargo container is hoisted or lowered to a specific height, said computer system receives a trigger signal from said electronic circuitry to take a plurality of digital images from said at least one camera, extracts container recognition results from said plurality of digital images, and combines said results together to produce said container code, wherein said at least one camera is mounted on said mobile support so that said computer system commands said motor to move said at least one camera to a predefined position according to the length of said container being hoisted or lowered.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one camera is mounted on a fixed extension arm;

said fixed extension arm being attached to said container handler and said computer system enables one of said at least one camera to take said plurality of digital images according to the length of said container being hoisted or lowered.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile support is a translational mobile support longitudinally traversing along the same direction of the side wall of said container being operated on;

one end of said translational mobile support being coupled to said motor and the other end to said at least one camera;

said motor providing a translational movement to said translational mobile support to position said camera assembly to a first position if said container being hoisted is a 20-foot container, and to a second position if said container is longer than 20 feet.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile support comprises a rotary support, said camera assembly being coupled to said rotary support at a suitable vertical angle for capturing said container code;

and said motor causing said rotary support to position said camera assembly to a first horizontal angle if said container being hoisted is a 20-foot container, and to a second horizontal angle if said container is longer than 20 feet.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said electronic circuitry is a programmable logic controller (PLC).

6. A system for determining container code comprising:

at least one camera mounted on a container handler, said container handler hoisting or lowering a container;

a computer system that is electrically coupled to said at least one camera; and

electronic circuitry electrically coupled to said computer system;

whereby when said cargo container is hoisted or lowered to a specific height, said computer system receives a trigger signal from said electronic circuitry to take a plurality of digital images from said at least one camera, extracts container recognition results from said plurality of digital images, and combines said results together to produce said container code, wherein said computer system further comprises a communication module, said communication module transmitting recognized results of said container code to a remote system.