US 2014/0112746 A1 · METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY VISUALLY POSITIONING TRAIN CAR BEDS

Abstract

A system and method for automatically positioning a metal coil into a rail car using stereoscopic image processing is presented. A method begins by picking up the metal coil using a hoist of a crane. The metal coil is then moved to a position over a rail car to where the metal coil will be located. At least one stereoscopic photo is taken of a location in the rail car to where the metal coil will be located. The coil is accurately positioned as it is lowered based on data extracted from the stereoscopic photo(s) to determine where the coil is as it is lowered onto the rail car. The picking up the metal coil, the moving the metal coil to a position over a rail car and the lowering the metal coil into the rail car are performed automatically without human involvement.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for automatically positioning a metal coil into a rail car using stereoscopic image processing comprising:

picking up the metal coil using a hoist of a crane;
moving the metal coil to a position over a rail car to where the metal coil will be located;
taking a stereoscopic photo of a location in the rail car to where the metal coil will be located;
determining a determined position of the metal coil based, at least in part, on the stereoscopic photo;
and
lowering the metal coil into the rail car based, at least in part, on the determined position, wherein the picking up of the metal coil, the moving of the metal coil to a position over a rail car and the lowering of the metal coil into the rail car are performed automatically without human involvement.

3 more elements

A system for automatically positioning a metal coil into a rail car comprising:

a crane with a hoist for lifting a metal coil and for lowering the metal coil onto the rail car;
a hoist frame;
a stereoscopic camera mounted on the hoist frame, configured to take a stereoscopic image of a location on the rail car to where the metal coil is to be placed;
stereoscopic image processing logic configured to process the stereoscopic image to determine a position of the metal coil relative to the location on the rail car based, at least in part, on the stereoscopic image;
and
wherein, the crane and the stereoscopic image processing logic are configured to pick up the metal coil and place the metal coil in the location on the rail car automatically without human intervention.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for automatically visually positioning train car beds

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for automatically visually positioning train car beds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20