Cv camera cable wrap sensor
AssigneeTait Towers Manufacturing, LLC
InventorJames D. LOVE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer vision camera sensor apparatus for motorized winches capable of monitoring multiple conditions relating to the cable and drum and a processing system capable of analyzing the camera sensor output to identify multiple conditions relating to the winch cable and drum and initiate appropriate control signals to the winch to protect the equipment and loads supported by the hoist.
Claims14
A system for monitoring cable winding and unwinding on a winch drum, the winch being one of a plurality of winches operably connected to a motion control system for suspending a load and animating flight thereof in a three-dimensional space, the system comprising:
- a computer vision sensor having a field of view in which the winch drum is positioned, the computer vision sensor configured to capture an image of the winch drum and output a digitized signal representative of the image;
- a processing system configured to receive the digitized signal representative of the image, analyze the digitized signal and compare the image represented by the digitized signal to one or more image parameters indicative of one or more detected winch operation conditions, and initiate a winch operation output signal indicative of the one or more detected winch operation conditions;
- and
- a motion control system configured to receive the winch operation output signal from the processing system and initiate a motor control output signal responsive to the one or more detected winch operations conditions;
- wherein the one or more detected winch operation conditions includes one or more of the following;
- a number of cable winding wraps on the drum, a rate of change in the number of cable winding wraps on the drum, and whether the number of cable winding wraps on the drum is increasing or decreasing, a cable cross groove wrap on the drum, a cable skipped groove wrap on the drum, and cable slack on the drum.
A method for monitoring cable winding and unwinding on a drum of a winch assembly comprising the steps of:
- providing a computer vision sensor having a field of view in which the drum is positioned;
- configuring the computer vision sensor to capture an image of the drum and output a digitized signal representative of the image;
- providing a processing system to receive the digitized signal analyze and compare the image output signal to one or more parameters indicative of one or more detected conditions, the one or more detected conditions including at least a cable cross groove wrap on the drum, a cable skipped groove wrap on the drum, and cable slack on the drum, and initiate a winch control output signal responsive to the one or more detected winch operation conditions;
- comparing by the processing system the image output signal to one or more image parameters indicative of one or more detected winch operation conditions and initiating a winch control output signal responsive to the one or more detected winch operation conditions;
- and
- communicating by the processing system the winch control output signal to the winch assembly.
A system for monitoring cable winding and unwinding on a motor-driven winch drum comprising:
- a computer vision sensor having a field of view in which the winch drum is positioned, the computer vision sensor generating an output signal representative of an image of the field of view;
- a processing system configured to receive the computer vision sensor output signal, analyze and compare the image output signal to one or more image parameters indicative of one or more detected winch operation conditions, and initiate a winch operation output signal indicative of the one or more detected winch operation conditions;
- and
- a motion control system configured to receive the winch operation output signal from the processing system and initiate a motor control output signal responsive to the one or more winch operation conditions detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.