TERMINALS AND METHODS FOR DIMENSIONING OBJECTS

• US 20130307964A1
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: BREMER, Edward C., PANKOW, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,007,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/135
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/17 using hand-held instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A terminal for measuring at least one dimension of an object includes at least one imaging subsystem and an actuator. The at least one imaging subsystem includes an imaging optics assembly operable to focus an image onto an image sensor array. The imaging optics assembly has an optical axis. The actuator is operably connected to the at least one imaging subsystem for moving an angle of the optical axis relative to the terminal. The terminal is adapted to obtain first image data of the object and is operable to determine at least one of a height, a width, and a depth dimension of the object based on effecting the actuator to change the angle of the optical axis relative to the terminal to align the object in second image data with the object in the first image data, the second image data being different from the first image data.

Claims

1. A terminal for measuring at least one dimension of an object, the terminal comprising:

at least one imaging subsystem comprising an imaging optics assembly operable to focus an image onto an image sensor array, said imaging optics assembly having an optical axis;

an actuator operable connected to said at least one imaging subsystem for moving the angle of said optical axis relative to said terminal;

wherein said terminal is adapted to obtain first image data of at least a portion of the object; and

wherein said terminal is operable to determine at least one of a height, a width, and a depth dimension of the object based on effecting said actuator to change the angle of said optical axis relative to said terminal to align the at least a portion of the object in second image data with the at least a portion of the object in the first image data, the first image data and the second image data being obtained along differently orientated optical axes.

2. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said actuator comprises at least one shaped memory alloy element operable for moving said at least one imaging subsystem relative to said terminal.

3. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said at least one imaging subsystem comprises a fixed imaging subsystem and a movable imaging subsystem.

4. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said at least one imaging subsystem comprises a single movable imaging subsystem, and wherein said single movable imaging subsystem is movable from a first location to a second location different from said first position.

5. The terminal of claim 4 wherein said actuator comprises at least one shaped memory alloy element for effecting movement of said at least one imaging subsystem.

6. The terminal of claim 1 further comprising an aimer for projecting an aiming pattern onto the object, and wherein said terminal is operable to effect movement of the actuator to align at least a portion of the aiming pattern on the object in the second image data with at least a portion of the aiming pattern on the object in the first image data.

7. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal is operable to attempt to determine at least one of a height, a width, and a depth dimension of the object based on current supplied to said actuator for effecting alignment of the image of the object in the second image data with the image of the object in the first image data.

8. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal is operable to attempt to determine at least one of a height, a width, and a depth dimension of the object based on voltage supplied to said actuator for effecting alignment of the image of the object in the second image with the image of the object in the first image.

9. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said at least one imaging subsystem (900) comprises at a fixed focused imaging subsystem.

10. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal is operable to obtain the first image data and the second aligned image data generally simultaneously.

11. The terminal of claim 12 wherein said terminal is operable to obtain the first image data and the second aligned image data generally within about 0.5 second or less.

12. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal is operable to determine the height, the width, and the depth dimensions of the object based on operation of said terminal directed from a single direction relative to said object.

13. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal is operable to determine at least two of the height, the width, and the depth dimensions of the object based on operation of said terminal directed from at least two orthogonal directions relative to said object.

14. The terminal of claim 1 wherein said terminal operable for reading an optically decodable indicia associated with the object.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the height, the width, and the depth dimensions of the object is based on operation of said terminal directed from a single direction relative to said object.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the height, the width, and the depth dimensions of the object is based on operation of said terminal directed from at least two orthogonal directions relative to said object.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said terminal operable for reading an optically decodable indicia associated with the object.

15. A method for measuring at least one dimension of an object 10, the method comprising:

obtaining at least a portion of first image data of the object;

moving an optical axis of at least one imaging subsystem to align at least a portion of second image data of the object with the at least the portion of first image data, the at least the portion of first image data being different from the at least the portion of second image data; and

determining at least one of a height, a width, and a depth dimension of the object based on moving the optical axis of the at least one imaging subsystem to align the image of the at least the portion of the object in the second image data with the image of the at least the portion of the object in the first image data.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the moving comprises moving the optical axis based on operation of at least one shaped memory alloy element.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising projecting an aiming pattern onto the object, and wherein the moving comprises moving the optical axis of at least one imaging subsystem to align at least a portion of the projected aiming pattern on the second image data of the object with the at least a portion of the projected aiming pattern on the first image data of the object.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the obtaining the first image data of the at least the portion of the object comprises obtaining the first image data of the at least the portion of the object with an imaging subsystem having an optical axis fixed relative to the terminal.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one imaging subsystem comprises a single movable imaging subsystem, and wherein single movable imaging subsystem is operable to obtain the first image data of the at least the portion of the object at a first location, and obtain the second image data of the at least the portion of the object at a second location different from the first location.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the first image data and the second aligned image data are obtained generally simultaneously.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the first image data and the second aligned image data are obtained generally within about 0.5 second or less.