Evaluating image values

• US 10,593,130 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ackley, H. Sprague
• Primary Examiner(s): Woldemariam, Aklilu K
• Application Number:
  US15/726,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20180033214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 382101, 382141, 382195, 382254, 382173, 382154, 235383, 235454, 235467, 235462, 235375
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/224 of printed characters having additional code marks or containing code marks
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00

Abstract

Images of items are evaluated. A first image of the item, having a view of two or more of its surfaces, is captured at a first time. A measurement of at least one dimension of one or more of the surfaces is computed and stored. A second image of the item, having a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces, is captured at a second time, subsequent to the first time. A measurement of the dimension is then computed and compared to the stored first measurement. The computed measurement is evaluated based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, by a camera, a first image of an item at a first time from a first perspective associated with a first position of the item, the first image comprising a view of at least two or more surfaces of the item;

computing first dimensions of the item based on the first image;

capturing, by the camera, a second image of the item at a second time from a second perspective associated with a second position of the item, wherein the first perspective and second perspective are different, and the second image comprises a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces of the item;

computing second dimensions of the item based on the second image;

comparing the second dimensions of the item computed based on the second image with the first dimensions of the item computed based on the first image;

in response to determining that the second dimensions are within a predefined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first image, determining that the second dimensions are acceptable for computing dimensions of the item; and

in response to determining that the second dimensions are not within a predefined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first captured image, displaying the second dimensions and the second image with a sign that indicates the second dimensions of the item are inaccurate.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising comparing one or more surface features of the item in the second image with one or more surface features of the item in the first image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surfaces features comprise a corresponding chromatic characteristic of the surface.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surface features comprise at least one of a logo or a bar code pattern.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image comprises data relating to a characteristic of the item or data relating to a wireframe model of the item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the data relates to one or more features of the one or more surfaces of the item.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more surface features relate to at least one of a text based, alphanumeric, ideographic, or pictographic symbol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises determining if the item in first image is the same as the item in the second image.

9. The method of claim 2, comprising:

delineating a boundary about a periphery of the one or more surface features in the first image;

mapping the delineated boundary to corresponding locations in a coordinate system;

storing data corresponding to the mapped boundary;

recognizing the one or more surface features in the second image;

surveying data corresponding to the boundary in relation to the recognized one or more surface features in the second image;

comparing the surveyed boundary data to the stored boundary data, and wherein determining if the second dimensions is suitable is based on the comparison between the surveyed boundary data to the stored boundary data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the two or more surfaces of the item comprise at least three surfaces.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second position of the item in the second image is displaced relative to the first position of the item in the first image.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising certifying, based on the comparison step, a charge for a commercial transaction relating to one or more of storing or transporting the item.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising certifying, based on the comparison step, a dimensioner for a commercial use.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

capturing at least one third image of the item after the first time, the third image comprising a view of two or more surfaces of the item;

computing third dimensions of the item based on the third image;

comparing the third dimensions of the item computed based on the third image with the first dimensions of the item computed based on the first image;

approving and storing the measurement computed in relation to the captured at least one third image based on the comparison to the stored first measurement;

computing a mean value based on a stored first measurement and the stored approved measurement based on the least one third image; and

correcting a rejected second image based on the computed mean value.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises computing a duration of interval between the second time and first time.

15. A dimensioning device, comprising:

a camera configured to capture images of an item;

a processor configured to;

capture, with the camera, a first image of the item at a first time from a first perspective associated with a first position of the item, the first image comprising a view of two or more surfaces of the item;

compute first dimensions of the item based on the first image;

capture, with the camera, a second image of the item at a second time which is subsequent to the first time, from a second perspective associated with a second position of item, wherein the first perspective and the second perspective are different, the second image comprises a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces;

compute second dimensions of the item based on the second image;

compare the second dimensions of the item computed based on the second image with the first dimensions of the item computed based on the first image; and

in response to determining that the second dimensions based on the second image are within a predetermined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first image, determine that the second dimensions are acceptable for computing dimensions of the item; and

in response to determining that the second dimensions are not within a predefined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first image, display the second image and second dimensions with a sign that indicates the second dimensions of the item are inaccurate.

16. The dimensioning device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to compare one or more surface features of the item in the second image with one or more surface features of the item in the first image.

19. The dimensioning device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the item in first image is the same as the item in the second image.

20. The dimensioning device of claim 15, wherein the second position of the item in the second image is displaced relative to the first position of the item in the first image.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when read and executed by a computer processor are operable for performing, controlling or causing a process, the process comprising:

capturing, by a camera, a first image of an item at a first time from a first perspective associated with a first position of the item, the first image comprising a view of at least two or more surfaces of the item;

computing first dimensions of the item based on the first image;

storing the first dimensions;

capturing, by the camera, a second image of the item at a second time from a second perspective associated with a second position of the item, wherein the first perspective and second perspective are different, and the second image comprises a view of at least one of the two or more surfaces;

computing second dimensions of the item based on the second image;

comparing the second dimensions of the item computed based on the second image with the first dimensions of the item computed based on the first image; and

in response to determining that the second dimensions are within a predefined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first image, determining that the second dimensions are acceptable for computing dimensions of the item; and

in response to determining that the second dimensions are not within a predefined threshold of the first dimensions of the item based on the first captured image, displaying the second dimensions and the second image with a sign that indicates the second dimensions of the item are inaccurate.