Dimensioning system with multipath interference mitigation
First Claim
1. A time-of-flight (TOF) dimensioning system, comprising:
- an illumination subsystem configured to generate and project a light beam along an optical axis toward an item of interest, the light beam'"'"'s spatial extent in a plane transverse to the optical axis being limited by an adjustable aperture;
an imager positioned and configured for capturing images of the item of interest;
a TOF sensor subsystem positioned and configured for capturing range images from the light beam as reflected from the item of interest; and
a control subsystem communicatively coupled to the adjustable aperture, the imager, and the TOF sensor subsystem, the control subsystem configured (i) to determine, from the captured images, an illumination region corresponding to the size, shape, and/or position of the item of interest, (ii) to control the adjustable aperture'"'"'s size, shape, and/or position to limit the light beam'"'"'s spatial extent to conform with the illumination region, and (iii) to determine from the range images an at least approximate dimension measurement of the item of interest.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for measuring an item'"'"'s dimensions using a time-of-flight dimensioning system is disclosed. The system and method mitigate multipath distortion and improve the accuracy of the measurements, especially in a mobile environment. To mitigate the multipath distortion, an imager captures an image of an item of interest. This image is processed to determine an illumination region corresponding item-of-interest'"'"'s size, shape, and position. Using this information, an adjustable aperture'"'"'s size, shape, and position are controlled so the light beam used in the time-of-flight analysis substantially illuminates the illumination region without first being reflected.
701 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A time-of-flight (TOF) dimensioning system, comprising:
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an illumination subsystem configured to generate and project a light beam along an optical axis toward an item of interest, the light beam'"'"'s spatial extent in a plane transverse to the optical axis being limited by an adjustable aperture; an imager positioned and configured for capturing images of the item of interest; a TOF sensor subsystem positioned and configured for capturing range images from the light beam as reflected from the item of interest; and a control subsystem communicatively coupled to the adjustable aperture, the imager, and the TOF sensor subsystem, the control subsystem configured (i) to determine, from the captured images, an illumination region corresponding to the size, shape, and/or position of the item of interest, (ii) to control the adjustable aperture'"'"'s size, shape, and/or position to limit the light beam'"'"'s spatial extent to conform with the illumination region, and (iii) to determine from the range images an at least approximate dimension measurement of the item of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A time-of-flight (TOF) dimensioning system, comprising:
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a light source to generate light; an optical subassembly positioned in front of the light source and configured to project a light beam along an optical axis toward an item of interest; an adjustable aperture positioned along the optical axis between the optical subassembly and the item of interest, the adjustable aperture comprising a blocking region for blocking at least a portion of the light beam, the blocking region having a controllable size, shape, and position; an imager positioned and configured for capturing images of the item of interest; and a control subsystem communicatively coupled to the adjustable aperture and the imager, the control subsystem configured (i) to determine from the captured images an illumination region corresponding to the item of interest'"'"'s size, shape, and position and (ii) to control the adjustable aperture'"'"'s blocking region to limit illumination to the illumination region so that light from the light source substantially reaches the item of interest without first being reflected. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for reducing multipath distortion in a time-of-flight (TOF) dimensioning system, the method comprising:
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capturing an image of an item of interest; determining from the image an illumination region corresponding to the size, shape, and/or position of the item of interest; and adjusting an adjustable aperture positioned in front of a light source to limit a spatial extent of a light beam directed at the item of interest (i) to substantially limit illumination to the illumination region and (ii) to substantially reach the item of interest without first being reflected. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification