Product packaging using computer vision and adaptive packaging selection
The system generates a 3D point cloud to identify voids in shipping containers and optimizes packaging by filling specific void regions, improving packing efficiency and security.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PREGIS LLC
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing systems lack an efficient method for identifying void regions within shipping containers and optimizing the use of protective packaging to ensure secure and space-efficient packing.
A system and method that utilizes a computing device to generate a 3D point cloud of a shipping container's interior, analyze void regions, and select appropriate protective packaging to fill a specific percentage of these voids, thereby optimizing packaging efficiency.
Enhances secure packing by ensuring optimal use of protective packaging in shipping containers, reducing voids and enhancing container utilization.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Abstract: A system (100) and method for packaging a shipping container (108). The method includes: detecting the presence of the shipping container (108) by means of a computing device (132); generating a 3D point cloud by means of the computing device (132) including a 3D perspective representation of the interior of the shipping container (108) and the surface of at least one article placed in the shipping container (108); analyzing the 3D point cloud by means of the computing device (132) to identify a void region inside the shipping container (132) that vacates the at least one article; selecting a percentage from a plurality of possible percentages by means of the computing device (132) based on the characteristics of the void region; and assigning protective packaging (120, 124) to the void region by means of the computing device (132) such that the selected percentage of the void region is filled with the protective packaging (120, 124).
Claims
CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:
1. A method for packing a shipping container, comprising: detecting, by a computing device, a presence of the shipping container; generating, by a computing device, a 3D point cloud comprising a 3D perspective representation of interior of the shipping container and surfaces of at least one item disposed in the shipping container; analyzing, by a computing device, the 3D point cloud to identify a void area inside the shipping container, the void area being absent of the at least one item; selecting, by the computing device, a percentage from a plurality of possible percentages based on a characteristic of the void area; and causing, by the computing device, protective packaging to be dispensed into the void area such that the selected percentage of the void area is fdled with the protective packaging.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shipping container comprises a box, a bag or an envelope or padded mailer envelope.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: dividing the void area into void area sections; and selecting different percentages from the plurality of possible percentages for at least two of the void area sections based on characteristics of the void area sections.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the void area sections comprise at least one of cubic volumes, relative locations of the void area sections to each other, and relative locations of the void area sections to the at least one item disposed in the shipping container.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cubic volume of a void area has a nonlinear relationship to a percentage of the void area that is to be filled with protective packaging.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising: detecting, by the computing device, occurrence of a trigger event; and enabling a sensor responsive to the trigger event.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the trigger event comprises an alignment of a center of the shipping container with an axis of the sensor.
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein detection of the trigger event is based on a depth measurement for at least one edge of the shipping container.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising computing a cubic volume of the void area.
10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the characteristic of the void area comprises the cubic volume.
11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising causing the shipping container to be closed and sealed without any protective packaging being dispensed therein, when the cubic volume is not large enough to be filled with a threshold amount of protective packaging.
12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the causing protective packaging to be dispensed into the void area is performed when the cubic volume is large enough to be filled with a threshold amount of protective packaging.
13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising selecting a protective packaging type from a plurality of possible protective packaging types based on the cubic volume or a ty pe of the at least one item, when the cubic volume is large enough to be filled with the threshold amount of protective packaging.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of protective packaging types comprises at least inflatable cushions, packing paper or foam in place.
15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting an amount of inflation from a plurality of possible inflation amounts when the selected protective- packaging type comprises an inflatable protective packaging.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the amount of inflation is selected based on at least one of a characteristic of the shipping container, a characteristic of the protective- packaging, a characteristic of the at least one item disposed in the shipping container, and the percentage which was selected.
17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising causing an inflation module to inflate the shipping material by the selected amount of inflation.
18. The method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting whether the shipping material should be wrapped, stacked, folded, rolled or crumpled when the selected protective- packaging type comprises packing paper.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein a selection is made as to whether the shipping material should be wrapped, stacked, folded, rolled or crumpled based on at least one of a characteristic of the shipping container, a characteristic of the protective-packaging, a characteristic of the at least one item disposed in the shipping container, and the percentage which was selected.
20. A system, comprising: a processor; a non-transi lory computer-readable storage medium comprising programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to implement a method for packing a shipping container, wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions to: detect presence of the shipping container;generate a 3D point cloud comprising a 3D perspective representation of interior of the shipping container and surfaces of at least one item disposed in the shipping container; analyze the 3D point cloud to identify a void area inside the shipping container, the void area being absent of the at least one item; select a percentage from a plurality of possible percentages based on a characteristic of the void area; and cause protective packaging to be dispensed into the void area such that the selected percentage of the void area is filled with protective packaging.
21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, will cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising: detecting a presence of the shipping container; generating a 3D point cloud comprising a 3D perspective representation of interior of the shipping container and surfaces of at least one item disposed in the shipping container; analyzing the 3D point cloud to identify a void area inside the shipping container, the void area being absent of the at least one item; selecting a percentage from a plurality of possible percentages based on a characteristic of the void area; and causing protective packaging to be dispensed into the void area such that the selected percentage of the void area is filled with protective packaging.