Shipment evaluation using X-ray imaging

• US 9,686,481 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Curlander, James Christopher, Tappen, Marshall Friend, Graybill, Jules Cook
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOWE, JOSEPH DANIE A
• Application Number:
  US14/215,697
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 348 86, 348 91, 348159
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 involving reference images or patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Radiographic imaging, or X-ray imaging, may be used to identify information regarding the contents of a container or other sealed object without having to open the container or the sealed object. One or more visual analyses of radiographic images may identify items within a container, or a condition of such items, as well as the portions or amounts of the contents of the container that correspond to air or dunnage. Additionally, a radiographic image may be projected onto an external surface of a container, or rendered within an augmented reality device or wearable computer device, thereby providing information regarding the contents of the container to a worker or other personnel within a vicinity of the container.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a shipment comprising:

capturing digital imaging data of a portion of a container using an imaging device, wherein the container includes at least one item and the portion of the container comprises an external identifier;

identifying the container based at least in part on the digital imaging data;

capturing a radiographic image of the container using at least one radiographic scanning device;

storing the radiographic image in association with the container in at least one data store;

determining, as the container is in motion, a position of the container and an orientation of the container at a first time based at least in part on the digital imaging data;

retrieving the radiographic image of the container from the at least one data store; and

rendering, as the container is in motion, at least a portion of the radiographic image in alignment with the external identifier in an eye-level display of a wearable computer device in the position and in the orientation at the first time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the container is placed in motion using at least one conveying system.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein identifying the container based at least in part on the digital imaging data comprises:

recognizing the at least one external identifier at the first time using at least one computer processor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the external identifier comprises at least one of:

an image;

a one-dimensional bar code;

a two-dimensional bar code;

a bokode;

a text character;

a number;

a symbol;

or

a color.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, as the container is in motion, a position of the container and an orientation of the container at a second time based at least in part on the digital imaging data; and

rendering, as the container is in motion, at least the portion of the radiographic image in alignment with the external identifier in the eve-level display of the wearable computer device in the position and in the orientation at the second time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the radiographic image of the container using at least one radiographic scanning device comprises:

capturing a first radiographic image of the container using a first radiographic scanning device; and

capturing a second radiographic image of the container using a second radiographic scanning device, and

wherein rendering, as the container is in motion, at least the portion of the radiographic image in alignment with the external identifier in the eye-level display of the wearable computer device in the position and in the orientation at the first comprises;

rendering, as the container is in motion, the first radiographic image in alignment with the external identifier upon a first surface of the container at the first time; and

rendering, as the container is in motion, the second radiographic image upon a second surface of the container at the first time.

7. A method comprising:

identifying a container using at least one sensor, wherein the container comprises a marking on at least one exterior surface;

capturing a radiographic image of the container using at least one radiographic scanning device;

determining information regarding contents of the container based at least in part on the radiographic image using at least one computer processor;

causing, as the container is in motion, a display of at least a portion of the radiographic image in alignment with the marking on the at least one exterior surface in an eye-level display within a field of view of a wearable computer device; and

storing an association between the radiographic image and the container in at least one data store.

8. The method of claim 7,

wherein the identifying the container using the at least one sensor comprises:

reading the marking on the at least one exterior surface using the at least one sensor; and

identifying the container based at least in part on the marking using the at least one computer processor.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

performing a visual analysis of the radiographic image using the at least one computer processor.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying at least one of;

a portion of the contents corresponding to an item;

a portion of the contents corresponding to dunnage;

or

a portion of the contents corresponding to air,

based at least in part on the visual analysis using the at least one computer processor.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying at least one of an edge of an item, a contour of the item or an outline of the item based at least in part on the visual analysis using the at least one computer processor.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a condition of the contents based at least in part on the visual analysis using the at least one computer processor.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing a display of at least a portion of the information on at least one of a computer display, the eye-level display of the wearable computer device, or a surface of the container using at least one projector.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the reading the marking on the at least one exterior surface using the at least one sensor comprises:

capturing digital imaging data regarding the container using the at least one sensor;

determining, as the container is in motion, at least one of a position or an orientation of the container based at least in part on the digital imaging data; and

operating the eye-level display of the wearable computer device based at least in part on the position or the orientation.

15. A wearable imaging system comprising:

a sensor device mounted to a frame;

a display device mounted to the frame; and

a computing device in communication with at least one of the sensor device or the display device,

wherein the computing device is configured to at least;

capture information regarding an object using the sensor device;

identify a radiographic image associated with the object based at least in part on the captured information;

recognize a fiducial mark on a surface of the object; and

cause, as the object is in motion, a display of at least a portion of the radiographic image in alignment with the fiducial mark by the display device responsive to the object being within a field of view of the wearable imaging system.

16. The wearable imaging system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine, as the object is in motion, a position of the object based at least in part on the information regarding the object; and

determine, as the object is in motion, an orientation of the object based at least in part on the information regarding the object,

wherein at least the portion of the radiographic image is rendered in alignment with the fiducial mark within the field of view of the wearable imaging system based at least in part on the position or the orientation.

17. The wearable imaging system of claim 15, wherein the object is one of a container having at least one item included therein or a portion of a human body.