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System and method of material handling using one or more imaging devices on the transferring vehicle to control the material distribution into the storage portion of the receiving vehicle

  • US 9,457,971 B2
  • Filed: 02/11/2013
  • Issued: 10/04/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for facilitating the transfer of material from a transferring vehicle having a material distribution end to a receiving vehicle having a bin to store the transferred material, the method comprising the steps of:

  • a. obtaining image data from at least one imaging device facing the bin, wherein the at least one imaging device is mounted on the transferring vehicle;

    b. identifying and locating the bin from the image data using an image processing module;

    c. identifying a spout from the image data using the image processing module to determining a location and orientation of the spout;

    d. detecting a representation of the fill level or volumetric distribution of the material in the bin;

    e. determining a position of the spout relative to the bin using an alignment module based on an identified location of the bin and the identified location and orientation of the spout;

    f. aligning the spout over a current target area of the bin requiring the material by generating command data used by at least one of a vehicle controller and a spout controller,wherein the command data is based in part on the position of the spout relative to the bin;

    g. determining subsequent target areas of the bin that require material based on the representation of the fill level or volumetric distribution of the material in the bin;

    h. transferring the material from the transferring vehicle to the current target area of the bin of the receiving vehicle;

    i. detecting when the current target area of the bin is filled with the material;

    j. repeating steps f-i until the subsequent target areas of the bin are filled; and

    k. terminating the transfer of the material from the transferring vehicle to the receiving vehicle.

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