RELATED APPLICATION

Benefit is claimed to India Provisional Application No. 4009/CHE/2010, titled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING SHAPE CHANGING OBJECTS" by Shanmugasundaram Murugesan et Al., filed on 29th December 2010, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to mechanical systems, and more particularly relates to a system and method for tracking shape changing bodies transported using a material handling device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Objects such as sand, ores, stacked boxes, etc. may not retain its original shape when transported from one point to another using material handling devices Conveyor belts and moving platforms are generally used to transport these kinds of objects. It is challenging task to track these objects transported on moving platforms due to the manner in which they are dumped on the moving platforms and change in shape of the objects during transportation. For example, the shape of sand dumped onto a conveyor belt may change due to many factors such as vibration of the conveyor belt. Also, if a fork lift transports a set number of boxes one over the other and if one box is displaced from its present position due to vibration, the said collection of boxes cannot be tracked. The same is the case with minerals transported through a conveyor belt.

The currently known tracking systems employ sensors to have physical contact with the objects for measuring and sensing their shapes. However, these tracking systems fail to track the shape changing objects using sensors as they do not consider properties of shape changing objects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a shape tracking system for tracking shape changing bodies transported from one point to another via a material handling device, according to one embodiment.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary three dimensional sensor unit, according to one embodiment.

Figure 3 is a process flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of tracking shape changing bodies, according to one embodiment.

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method of tracking shape changing bodies transported on a material handling devices. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

In the document, the term 'signature' refers to summary of appearance of shape changing bodies.

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a shape tracking system 100 for tracking shape changing bodies 114 transported from one point to another via a material handling device 116, according to one embodiment. In Figure 1. the shape tracking system 100 includes a first three dimensional sensor unit 102 deployed at a first location 118, a second three dimensional sensor unit 104 deployed at a second location 120, a noise filter 106, a processor 108, a display 110, and a signature database 112.

The shape tracking system 100 is configured for tracking the shape changing bodies 114 when transported from the first location 118 to the second location 120 using the material handling device 116. The shape changing bodies 114 may include materials such as minerals (e.g., ore), metals components, packaged materials, sand, and the like. The material handling device 116 may include conveyor machine, forklifts, trolleys, heavy duty vehicles, and so on.

In an exemplary operation, the first three dimensional sensor unit 102 scans a section of the shape changing bodies 122 (e.g., heap of ore) at the first location 118. Then, the first three dimensional sensor unit 102 determines a first set of scanned parameters associated with the section of shape changing bodies 122 at the first location 118 based on the scanned results. The first set of scanned parameters includes colour of the section of shape changing bodies 122, contour information, and weight of the shape changing bodies per distance travelled. The first set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location 118.

The first three dimensional sensor unit 102 provides the first set of scanned parameters to the noise filter 106 to filter noise from the first set of scanned parameters. The noise filter 106 then forwards the first set of scanned parameters to the processor 108. Accordingly, the processor 108 computes a first signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies 122 using the first set of scanned parameters and stores the first signature in the signature database 112.

Upon scanning operation at the first location 118, the section of shape changing bodies 122 is carried from the first location 118 to the second location 120 in due course of time. When the section of shape changing bodies 122 reaches the second location 120, the second three dimensional sensor unit 104 scans the section of shape changing bodies 122 at the second location 120 and determines a second set of scanned parameters associated with the section of the shape changing bodies 122 based on the scanned results. The second set of scanned parameters includes colour of the section of shape changing bodies 122, contour information, and weight of the shape changing bodies per distance travelled. The second set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location 120.

The second three dimensional sensor unit 104 provides the second set of scanned parameters to the noise filter 106 to filter noise from the second set of scanned parameters. The noise filter 106 then forwards the second set of scanned parameters to the processor 108. Accordingly, the processor 108 computes a second signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies 122 using the second set of scanned parameters and stores the second signature in the signature database 112.

Further, the processor 108 also retrieves the first signature and the second signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies from the signature database 112. Then, the processor 108 compares the second signature with the first signature to determine whether there is change is shape of the section of shape changing bodies 122. In one embodiment, the processor 108 determines whether the second signature substantially matches the first signature. The processor 108 may also take into account probability of changing the shape from the first location 118 to the second location 120 due to vibration of the material handling device 116 and the speed of the material handling device 116 in travelling from the first location 118 to the second location 120.

Accordingly, the processor 108 outputs result of comparison on the display 110. For example, the display may indicate a red light when there is substantial change in the shape of the section of shape changing bodies 122 when moved from the first location 118 to the second location 120. This may alert authorized person regarding the problem associated with the material handling. One skilled in the art will envision that, the shape tracking system 100 may include more than two three dimensional sensor units placed along the material handling device 116 at pre-determined locations based on length of travel for tracking the shape changing bodies 114 when carried from one location to another.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary three dimensional sensor unit 200, according to one embodiment. It is appreciated that, the three dimensional sensor unit 200 of Figure 2 is an exemplary embodiment of the first three dimensional sensor unit 102 and the second three dimensional sensor unit 104 illustrated in Figure 1.

The three dimensional sensor unit 200 includes emitters 202A-N and three dimensional sensors 204A-N arranged opposite to the emitters 202A-N. Both the emitters 202A-N and the three dimensional sensors 204A-N deployed at the sides of the material handling device 116. In one exemplary implementation, the three dimensional sensors 204A-N are laser light emitting diode (LED) sensors. In another exemplary implementation, the three dimensional sensors 204A-N are ultrasonic sensors.

In an exemplary operation, each of the emitters 202A-N emits signals 206 with an associated code to the section of shape changing bodies 122 so that the emitted signals 206 hits the surface of shape changing bodies and gets reflected. The corresponding three dimensional sensors 204A-N senses the reflected signals 208 with the associated code and determines a set of scanned parameters representing a silhouette of the shape changing bodies based on the reflected signals 208. The set of parameters are fed to the noise filter 106 as described in Figure 1. The three dimensional sensor unit 200 may employ digital signal processing unit for reducing effect of vibration of the material handling device 116 on the reflected signals 208.

Figure 3 is a process flow chart 300 illustrating an exemplary method of tracking shape changing bodies, according to one embodiment. At step 302, the section of shape changing bodies 122 loaded on the material handling device 116 is scanned at the first location 118 using the first three dimensional sensor unit 102 At step 304, a first signature of the section of shape changing bodies 122 at the first location 118 is created by the processor 108. At step 306, the first signature of the section of shape changing bodies 122 is stored in the signature database 112.

At step 308, the section of shape changing bodies 122 loaded on the material handling device 116 is scanned at the second location 120 using the second three dimensional sensor unit 104. At step 310, a second signature of the section of shape changing bodies 122 at the second location 120 is created by the processor 108 At step 312, the second signature is compared with the first signature by the processor 108. At step 314, result of the comparison is displayed on the display 110.

The present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Furthermore, the various devices, modules, selectors, estimators, and the like described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry, for example, complementary metal oxide semiconductor based logic circuitry, firmware, software and/or any combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software embodied in a machine readable medium. For example, the various electrical structure and methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits, such as application specific integrated circuit.

We Claim:

1 An apparatus comprising:

a first three dimensional sensor unit operable for scanning a section of shape changing bodies loaded on a material handling device at a first location;

a second three dimensional sensor unit operable for scanning the section of shape changing bodies loaded on the material handling device at a second location;

a processor operable for:

creating a first signature and a second signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location and the second location respectively; and

comparing the first signature and the second signature of the section of the shape changing bodies; and

a display operable for outputting a result based on the outcome of comparison.

2 The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a signature database for storing the first signature and the second signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first three dimensional sensor unit and the second three dimensional sensor unit are deployed along the material handling device at the first location and the second location respectively.

4 The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first three dimensional sensor unit is operable for determining a first set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is operable for creating the first signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies based on the first set of scanned parameters.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second three dimensional sensor unit is operable for determining the second set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location.

7 The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is operable for creating the second signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies based on the second set of scanned parameters.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location.

10 The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first set of sensor units comprises:

a first set of emitters operable for emitting signals with associated code on the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location; and

a first set of three dimensional sensors operable for receiving the emitted signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies and determining the first set of scanned parameters based on the signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies.

11 The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second set of sensor units comprises:

a second set of emitters operable for emitting signals with associated code on

the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location; and

a second set of three dimensional sensors operable for receiving the emitted signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies and determining the second set of scanned parameters based on the signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies.

12 The apparatus of claim 10 and 11, wherein the first set of three dimensional sensors and the second set of three dimensional sensors are laser sensors.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first set of scanned parameters and the second set of scanned parameters are selected from the group consisting of colour of the shape changing bodies, contour information, and weight per distance travelled.

14 A method for tracking shape changing bodies loaded on a material handling device comprising:

scanning a section of shape changing bodies loaded on a material handling device at a first location using a first three dimensional sensor unit;

scanning the section of shape changing bodies loaded on the material handling device at a second location using a second three dimensional sensor unit;

creating a first signature and a second signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location and the second location respectively;

comparing the first signature and the second signature of the section of the shape changing bodies; and

outputting a result on a display based on the outcome of comparison.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing the first signature and the second signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies in a signature database.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein scanning the section of the shape changing bodies loaded on the material handling device at the first location comprises:

determining a first set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the determining the first set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location comprises:

emitting signals with associated code on the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location using a first set of emitters;

receiving the emitted signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location; and

determining the first set of scanned parameters based on the signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies using a first set of three dimensional sensors.

18 The method of claim 17, wherein creating the first signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location comprises:

creating the first signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies based on the first set of scanned parameters.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the first location.

20 The method of claim 14, wherein scanning the section of the shape changing bodies loaded on the material handling device at the second location comprises:

determining a second set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location.

21 The method of claim 20, wherein the determining the second set of scanned parameters by scanning the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location comprises:

emitting signals with associated code on the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location using a second set of emitters;

receiving the emitted signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location; and

determining the second set of scanned parameters based on the signals reflected from the section of the shape changing bodies using a second set of three dimensional sensors.
22 The method of claim 21, wherein creating the second signature associated with the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location comprises:

creating the first signature associated with the section of shape changing bodies based on the second set of scanned parameters.

23 The method of claim 22, wherein the second set of scanned parameters represents a silhouette of the section of the shape changing bodies at the second location.

24 The method of claim 19 and 23, wherein the first set of scanned parameters and the second set of scanned parameters are selected from the group consisting of colour of the shape changing bodies, contour information, and weight per distance travelled.