Load scanning apparatus
AssigneeRobotics Plus Limited
InventorsAlistair John Scarfe, Florian Thomas Roeske
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load scanning apparatus for taking physical measurements from a load. The load scanning apparatus has a scanning robot including a plurality of sensors arranged in an array spanning substantially across at least one load dimension in a first direction. The array of sensors moves together in a second direction, in a scanning plane. The plurality of sensors are configured to take images of the load from the scanning plane, and are configured to capture distance information about the distance of said load from the scanning plane.
Claims20
A load scanning apparatus for taking physical measurements from a load on a vehicle, the load comprising a first packet of logs and a second packet of logs, and the load having dimensions of load length, load width, and load height, the load scanning apparatus comprising:
- a scanning robot comprising:
- a cross member to which an array of sensors is coupled,
- wherein the array of sensors is fixed relative to each other in a first direction and are configured to move together in a second direction in a scanning plane,
- wherein the array of sensors is positioned to have a line of sight perpendicular to the scanning plane relative to at least log ends of the first packet of logs,
- wherein the array of sensors spans across at least one dimension of the load in the first direction,
- wherein the array of sensors is configured to capture a collection of images of the load from the scanning plane, and configured to capture distance information about a distance of the load from the scanning plane, and
- at least one of:
- the cross member moves between a raised position and a lowered position on the scanning robot to scan the load, and
- the cross member has a width configured to fit in a gap between:
- the first packet of logs, and
- the second packet of logs;
- and
- a processor configured to:
- process the collection of images taken by the array of sensors, and
- stitch the collection of images together to generate a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the load.
A method for taking physical measurements from a load on a vehicle, the load comprising a first packet of logs and a second packet of logs, and the load having dimensions of load length, load width, and load height, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a load scanning apparatus, the load scanning apparatus comprising:
- (i) a scanning robot comprising:
- a cross member to which an array of sensors is coupled,
- wherein the array of sensors is fixed relative to each other in a first direction and are configured to move together in a second direction in a scanning plane,
- wherein the array of sensors is positioned to have a line of sight perpendicular to the scanning plane relative to at least log ends of the first packet of logs,
- wherein the array of sensors spans across at least one dimension of the load in the first direction,
- wherein the array of sensors is configured to capture a collection of images of the load from the scanning plane, and configured to capture distance information about a distance of the load from the scanning plane, and
- at least one of:
- the cross member moves between a raised position and a lowered position on the scanning robot to scan the load, and
- the cross member has a width configured to fit in a gap between:
- the first packet of logs, and
- the second packet of logs;
- and
- (ii) a processor configured to:
- process the collection of images taken by the array of sensors, and
- stitch the collection of images together to generate a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the load;
- (b) positioning the load in a load receiving bay of the load scanning apparatus;
- (c) moving the array of sensors together;
- and
- (d) taking a collection of images, using the scanning robot, from the load;
- and
- (e) determining, based on the collection of images, physical measurements of the load using the processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.