Container use estimation
AssigneeSymbol Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJustin F. Barish, Adithya H. Krishnamurthy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to estimating capacity usage of a container. In an embodiment, the present invention is a method of estimating a fullness of a container. The method includes: mounting an image capture apparatus proximate a container-loading area, the image capture apparatus operable to capture three-dimensional images; capturing, via the image capture apparatus, a three-dimensional image representative of a three-dimensional formation, the three-dimensional image having a plurality of points with three-dimensional point data including depth data; generating a histogram of the depth data from the three-dimensional image; and estimating the fullness of the container based at least in part on the histogram.
Claims20
A method of estimating a fullness of a container, the method comprising:
- mounting an image capture apparatus proximate a container-loading area, the image capture apparatus operable to capture three-dimensional images;
- capturing, via the image capture apparatus, a three-dimensional image representative of a three-dimensional formation, the three-dimensional image having a plurality of points with three-dimensional point data including depth data;
- generating a histogram of the depth data from the three-dimensional image;
- and
- estimating the fullness of the container based at least in part on the histogram.
A system for analyzing capacity of a container, comprising:
- a container monitoring unit (CMU) mounted proximate a loading bay, the CMU including:
- a housing;
- an imaging assembly at least partially within the housing and operable to capture a three-dimensional image representative of a three-dimensional formation, the three-dimensional image having a plurality of points with three-dimensional point data including depth data;
- and
- a CMU controller communicatively connected to the imaging assembly, the controller operable to transmit the three-dimensional point data;
- and
- a host computer communicatively connected to the CMU, the host computer including a host computer controller operable to:
- receive the three-dimensional point data from the CMU controller;
- generate a histogram of the depth data from at least a portion of the three-dimensional point data;
- and
- estimate a first fullness of the container based at least in part on the histogram.
A container monitoring unit (CMU) for analyzing capacity of a container, comprising:
- a housing;
- an imaging assembly at least partially within the housing and operable to capture a three-dimensional image representative of a three-dimensional formation, the three-dimensional image having a plurality of points with three-dimensional point data including depth data;
- and
- a CMU controller communicatively connected to the imaging assembly, the controller operable to:
- generate a histogram of the depth data from at least a portion of the three-dimensional point data;
- and
- estimate a fullness of the container, based at least in part on the histogram, via a histogram average-based calculation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.