Dual-pattern optical 3D dimensioning

• US 10,733,748 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Feng, Chen, Xian, Tao
• Primary Examiner(s): Geroleo, Francis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Glover, Christopher Kingsbury
• Application Number:
  US15/657,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20190026912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• 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: G01B 11/2513 with several lines being projected in more than one direction, e.g. grids, patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• 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 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images

Abstract

An optical dimensioning system includes light emitting assemblies configured to project a predetermined pattern on an object. The optical dimensioning system further includes an imaging assembly configured to sense light scattered and/or reflected of the object, and to capture an image of the object while the pattern is projected. A processing assembly, in the optical dimensioning system, is configured to analyze the image of the object to determine one or more dimension parameters of the object.

Claims

1. A dimensioning assembly, comprising:

a first pattern generator having a first laser diode and a first pattern projection assembly, wherein the first pattern generator is configured to generate a first representation of a pattern, and wherein the first representation includes a plurality of first elements;

a second pattern generator, spaced apart from the first pattern generator, having a second laser diode and a second pattern projection assembly, wherein the second pattern generator is configured to generate a second representation of the pattern, wherein the second representation includes a plurality of second elements, wherein the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern are identical and wherein the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern are associated with a predetermined image separation, and wherein a first element in the plurality of first elements is positioned equivalent as a second element in the plurality of second elements;

a camera module, positioned between the first pattern generator and the second pattern generator, having one or more image sensors and an imaging lens assembly, wherein the camera module is configured to capture an image comprising the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern to generate a captured image; and

a processing system configured to determine a depth of an object based on a ratio of the image separation between the first element of the first representation of the pattern and the second element of the second representation of the pattern in the captured image and an image distance between (1) the first element and another first-pattern element adjacent to the first element, or (2) the second element and another second-pattern element adjacent to the second element.

2. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern generator and the second pattern generator are equidistant from the camera module.

3. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first laser diode and/or the second laser diode comprise a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser.

4. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first laser diode and/or the second laser diode comprise an edge-emitting laser.

5. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern projection assembly and the second pattern projection assembly include a projection lens and a pattern die and/or a collimating lens and a diffractive optical element.

6. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to detect and analyze positions of the plurality of first elements and the plurality of second elements in the first representation and the second representation, respectively.

7. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to detect and analyze positions of adjacent elements in at least one of the first representation or the second representation.

8. The dimensioning assembly according to claim 1, further including additional pattern generators configured to generate additional representation of the patterns.

9. An optical dimensioning system, comprising:

one or more light emitting assemblies configured to project a first representation of a pattern and a second representation of the pattern on an object, wherein the first representation of the pattern includes a plurality of first elements and the second representation of the pattern includes a plurality of second elements, wherein the first representation and the second representation are identical and wherein the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern are associated with a predetermined image separation, and wherein a first element in the plurality of first elements is positioned equivalent as a second element in the plurality of second elements;

an imaging assembly configured to sense light scattered and/or reflected of the object, and to capture an image of the object while the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern are projected; and

a processing assembly configured to analyze the image of object to determine one or more dimension parameters of the object based on a ratio of image separation between the first element and the second element in the image and an image distance between (1) the first element and another first-pattern element adjacent to the first element, or (2) the second element and another second-pattern element adjacent to the second element.

10. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, wherein the imaging assembly includes one or more image sensors with an imaging lens, a first beam splitter adapted for multi-imaging sensing, one or more spectral filters, or any combination thereof.

11. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, wherein the one or more light emitting assemblies include a pattern generator and a second beam splitter adapted for projecting the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern.

12. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 11, wherein the second beam splitter includes a relay lens.

13. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, wherein the one or more dimension parameters of the object include a length, a width, and/or a height of the object.

14. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, further configured for scanning a zero contrast direct product marking barcode.

15. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, further configured for image recognition with 3D contour mapping.

16. The optical dimensioning system according to claim 9, further configured for motion and/or gesture sensing for non-contact user interface.

17. A method for dual-pattern optical dimensioning, comprising:

illuminating an object with a first representation of a pattern and a second representation of the pattern projected by one or more pattern generators, wherein the first representation includes a plurality of first elements and the second representation includes a plurality of second elements, wherein the first representation and the second representation are identical and wherein the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern are associated with a predetermined image separation, and wherein a first element in the plurality of first elements is positioned equivalent as a second element in the plurality of second elements;

capturing an image of the object, illuminated by the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern, with a camera assembly; and

calculating dimensions of the based on a ratio of the image separation between the first element and the second element in the image and an image distance between (1) the first element and another first-pattern element adjacent to the first element, or (2) the second element and another second-pattern element adjacent to the second element.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of first elements and the plurality of second elements in the first representation of the pattern and the second representation of the pattern, respectively, correspond to a point grid.

19. The method according to claim 17, further including controlling one or more pattern separation parameters.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein illuminating the object includes illuminating the object with a projector operably coupled to a beam splitter.