US 8,146,813 B2 · Methods and apparatus processing container images and/or identifying codes for front end loaders or container handlers servicing rail cars

Abstract

An optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler for transferring a container to/from a rail car. A server interface configured to receive from at least one container handler. An optical characteristic system configured to couple to a front end loader. A container handler configured to transfer at least one container to/from a rail car and to report its container image, optical characteristic, container code estimate of the container, a rail car identifier estimate and/or a container chassis identifier estimate. A rail kiosk configured to receive the container image, etc from at least one container handler to create the optical characteristic, the container code estimate, manifest for the rail car, confirmation of the manifest and/or an insurance record for the container. A method operating at least one of the server interface, the rail kiosk and a container inventory management system and the products of those operations.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

at least one member of an optical group;
and
a container inventory management system configured to receive at least one member, and configured to also produce another at least one member, of the group consisting of
a container code estimate of a container based upon at least one member of said optical group created by an optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler configured to transfer said container to/from a rail car,
a manifest of said rail car,
a confirmation of said manifest, and
an insurance record for said container;
wherein said optical group comprises
a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container at least twenty feet long,
an optical characteristic derived from said container image,
a container code estimate of a container code,
a rail car identifier of said rail car, and
a container chassis identifier of a container chassis;
and
wherein said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane.

12 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

an optical characteristic system configured to couple to a container handler configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car to create at least one member of the optical group consisting of
a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,
an optical characteristic derived from said container image and
a container code estimate of a container code on said face,
where said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane;
wherein said front end loader is a member of the group consisting of a top handler and a side picker;
wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image;
wherein said optical characteristic system comprises
a processor communicatively coupled to at least one camera configured to create said container image of said container being transferred to/from said rail car;
and
said processor communicatively coupled to a means for communicating to send at least one member of said optical group.

8 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

a container handler configured to transfer at least one container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car and configured to wirelessly report at least one member of the optical group consisting of
a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,
an optical characteristic derived from said container image and
a container code estimate of a container code on said face;
wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes at least one of
an optical enhancement of said container image, and
a compression of at least one member of the group consisting of said container image and said optical enhancement;
wherein said container handler a member of the group consisting of a reach stacker, a gantry crane, and a front end loader is one of a top handler and a side picker,
wherein said gantry crane is one of a quay crane, a rail gantry crane and a rubber tire gantry crane;
wherein said container handler comprises
a processor communicatively coupled to at least one camera configured to create said container image of said container being transferred to/from said rail car;
and
said processor communicatively coupled to a means for communicating to send at least one member of said optical group.

10 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a rail kiosk configured
to receive at least one member of an optical group from at least one container handler and/or an optical characteristic system coupled to said container handler, said container handler configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long, to create at least one member,
and further to produce another of at least one member, of the group consisting of
another of said members of said optical group,
a manifest for a rail car involved with said transfer of said container,
a confirmation of said manifest, and
an insurance record for said container;
wherein said optical group consists of
a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,
an optical characteristic derived from said container image,
a container code estimate of a container code on said face,
a rail car identifier estimate of a rail car identifier on said rail car, and
a container chassis identifier estimate of a container chassis identifier of a container chassis holding said container during at least part of said transfer.

10 more elements

An apparatus, comprising:

a server interface configured to receive at least one member of an optical group
from a container handler, configured to transfer a container at least twenty feet long to/from a rail car,
to create at least one member of the group consisting of
another of said member of said optical group,
a manifest for at least a rail car,
a confirmation of said manifest, and
an insurance record for said container created using at least one of said container images for each of at least one member of the face group of said container, said face group consisting of a top face, a bottom face, a front face, a back face, a left face and a right face, each of said container;
wherein said server interface comprises
a second processor communicatively coupled to a second means for communicating to receive said member of said optical group;
wherein said optical group consists of the members of
a container image of at least part of at least one face of said container,
an optical characteristic derived from said container image,
an container code estimate of a container code on said face,
a rail car identifier of said rail car, and
a container chassis identifier of a container chassis holding said container;
wherein said container handler is a member of the group consisting of a front end loader, a reach stacker, and a gantry crane;
wherein at least one of said optical characteristic derived from said container image includes an optical enhancement of said container image.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus processing container images and/or identifying codes for front end loaders or container handlers servicing rail cars

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus processing container images and/or identifying codes for front end loaders or container handlers servicing rail cars

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25