Dimensioning system with feedback

• US 10,218,964 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Laffargue, Franck, Hunt, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Toan
• Application Number:
  US15/810,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 23547201
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/024 by means of diode-array scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/25 by projecting a pattern, e.g. one or more lines, moiré fringes on the object G01B11/255 takes precedence ; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0077 Colour aspects

Abstract

A dimensioning system that analyzes a distance map for null-data pixels to provide feedback is disclosed. Null-data pixels correspond to missing range data and having too many in a distance map may lead to dimensioning errors. Providing feedback based on the number of null-data pixels helps a user understand and adapt to different dimensioning conditions, promotes accuracy, and facilitates handheld applications.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, range data from a dimensioning subsystem;

creating, with the processor, a distance map from the received range data;

determining, with the processor, a null-data pixel-count from the distance map, the null-data pixel-count comprising a sum total of null-data pixels; and

computing, with the processor, a dimension measurement if the null-data pixel-count is at or below a threshold count, or

generating, with the processor, an error feedback if the null-data pixel-count is above the threshold count.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance map comprises a digital image of a dimensioner'"'"'s field-of-view, wherein the digital-image'"'"'s pixel values correspond to the distance between the dimensioner and an object or objects in the field-of-view.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the distance map'"'"'s null-data pixels comprise a single pixel value, the single pixel value indicating that a range measurement for a pixel was not possible.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating a confidence feedback if the distance map'"'"'s null-data pixel-count is below the threshold count.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the confidence feedback comprises a visible image of a dimensioner'"'"'s field-of-view and a wireframe rendering of an object, the wireframe rendering displayed with the visible image.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the confidence feedback comprises an indication of a confidence value, the confidence value corresponding to the null-data pixel count.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the confidence feedback comprises an indication of the dimension measurement'"'"'s conformance to a standard.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating a user-guidance feedback if the null-data pixel-count is above the threshold count.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the user-guidance feedback comprises information to facilitate the adjustment of a measurement geometry.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the user-guidance feedback comprises information to facilitate the adjustment of lighting.

11. The method according to claim 8, comprising repeating the receiving, creating, determining, and generating until the distance map'"'"'s null-data pixel-count is at or below the threshold count then computing a dimension measurement.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the error feedback comprises audio feedback.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the error feedback comprises illuminated indicators and/or graphics displayed by the dimensioner.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the error feedback comprises an indication that the object color is too dark or that the lighting is insufficient.

15. A system, comprising:

a dimensioning subsystem comprising at least one image sensor for capturing range data of an object or objects within a field-of-view; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one image sensor, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive range data from the dimensioning subsystem;

create a distance map from the range data;

process the distance map to obtain a distance-map quality comprising a sum of the number of pixels in the distance map having insufficient information to determine distance; and

generate an error feedback if the distance-map quality is below a minimum-quality threshold.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the dimensioning subsystem comprises a pattern projector, the pattern projector projecting a light pattern on the object or objects in the field-of-view.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the error feedback comprises user guidance information to facilitate the repositioning of the dimensioner to capture range data having an improved distance-map quality.

18. The system according to claim 15, comprising a user-interface subsystem for displaying dimension measurements and the error feedback.

19. The system according to claim 15, comprising a communication subsystem for transmitting and receiving information to/from a computing device and/or a storage device.

20. The system according to claim 15, comprising a display for displaying dimension measurements and the error feedback.