System and method for package dimensioning

• US 9,464,885 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Lloyd, Ryan Andrew, McCloskey, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US14/461,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20150063676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume

Abstract

A system and method for package dimensioning is provided. The package-dimensioning system includes an image capturing subsystem for acquiring information about an object within the image-capturing subsystem'"'"'s field of view. A features-computation module analyzes object information and compiles a feature set describing the object'"'"'s surface features. A classification module analyzes the feature set and categorizes the object'"'"'s shape. A shape-estimation module estimates the dimensions of the object.

Claims

1. A package-dimensioning system, comprising:

an imager for acquiring information about an object within the imager field of view;

a features-computation module for analyzing object information acquired by the imager and compiling a feature set describing the object'"'"'s surface features;

a classification module for analyzing the feature set describing the object'"'"'s surface features and for categorizing the object'"'"'s shape; and

a shape-estimation module for estimating dimensions of the object, the shape-estimation module comprising a plurality of shape-specific submodules adapted for estimating the dimensions of particular shapes.

2. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 1, wherein the imager comprises a range camera.

3. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 1, wherein the imager is configured to generate a range image with respect to the object.

4. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 3, wherein the features-computation module is configured to analyze the range image.

5. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 1, wherein the features-computation module is configured to compile a relative histogram describing the object'"'"'s surface features.

6. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 1, wherein the classification module is configured to select the shape-specific submodule for estimating the dimensions of the object.

7. A package-dimensioning system, comprising:

an imager for acquiring information about a plurality of objects within the imager field of view;

a features-computation module for analyzing object information acquired by the imager and for compiling a feature set describing each object'"'"'s surface features;

a classification module for analyzing the feature set describing each object'"'"'s surface features and for categorizing each object'"'"'s shape; and

a shape-estimation module for estimating dimensions of each object, the shape-estimation module comprising a plurality of shape-specific submodules adapted for estimating the dimensions of particular shapes.

8. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 7, wherein the imager comprises a range camera.

9. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 7, wherein the imager is configured to generate a range image with respect to each object.

10. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 9, wherein the features-computation module is configured to analyze the range image associated with each object.

11. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 7, wherein the features-computation module is configured to compile a relative histogram describing each object'"'"'s surface features.

12. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 7, wherein the classification module is configured to select the shape-specific submodule for estimating the dimensions of each object.

13. The package-dimensioning system according to claim 7, wherein the features-computation module is configured to differentiate the information about the plurality of objects into discrete object-specific information.

14. A method for estimating the dimensions of a package, comprising:

acquiring an image of an object with an imager;

compiling a feature set describing the object'"'"'s surface features with a features-computation module;

categorizing the object'"'"'s shape based on the feature set with a classification module; and

estimating the dimensions of the object based on the categorization of the object'"'"'s shape using a shape-estimation module comprising a plurality of shape-specific submodules adapted for estimating the dimensions of particular shapes.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the image of an object is acquired using a range camera.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the feature set comprises a relative histogram describing the object'"'"'s surface features.