Dimensioning and barcode reading system

Abstract

A system and method for auto-calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel to determine the orientation of one or more cameras with respect to a range finder and a conveyor belt comprises providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, at least one range finder having an orientation, at least one camera having an orientation and at least one calibration object having at least one indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to one or more features of the at least one calibration object, capturing at least one image of the at least one calibration object by the at least one camera, electronically detecting the at least one calibration object at least one indicia and the one or more object features and electronically calculating at least one component of the at least one camera orientation with respect to the moveable surface in response to information obtained from the image and the at least one calibration object at least one indicia.

Description

[0001]The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 980,360, filed Oct. 16, 2007, entitled DIMENSIONING AND BARCODE READING SYSTEM, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to conveyor systems and, more particularly, to conveyor systems having networked components.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Referring to art FIG. 1, a known dimensioning system 10 includes a conveyor system 12 that moves items along a path of travel, and a component system 14 adjacent to the conveyor system that tracks packages being moved by the conveyor system. Conveyor system 12 includes a number of rollers 16, a belt 24, a bed 18 and a tachometer 20. It should be understood that the conveyor can move the items through the path of travel by means other than belts, for example by driven rollers. Rollers 16 are motor-driven rollers that move conveyor belt 24 in a direction denoted by ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]These and/or other objects are achieved in a preferred embodiment of a method of calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel, the method comprising providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, at least one range finder having an orientation, at least one camera having an orientation and at least one calibration object having at least one indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to one or more features of the at least one calibration object. The method further comprises the steps of capturing at least one image of the at least one calibration object by the at least one camera, electronically detecting the at least one calibration object at least one indicia and the one or more object features and electronically calculating at least one component of the at least one camera orientation with respect to the moveable surface in response to information obtained from the image and the at least one calibration object at least one indicia.

[0020]In some embodiments, the method further comprising electronically calculating a height and extents of the at least one calibration object by the at least one range finder by electronically detecting the one or more calibration object features. In other embodiments, the at least one indicia is a barcode. Yet in other embodiments, a plurality of indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to the one or more features of the at least one calibration object. Still in other embodiments, the at least one or more featur

Problems solved by technology

Line scan cameras like barcode scanners are bulky and heavy and require more than one technician to install and calibrate the scanner in scanning tunnel.

In general, prior art cameras are unitary structures that are bulky and cumbersome for a single technician to lift and secure.

Once installed, the cameras require time consuming set-up and calibration techniques and, if removed, the camera setup and calibration must be repeated.

If the dimensioner's detector array is out of a substantially parallel adjustment with respect to the belt, the dimensioner may obtain inaccurate dimensions of the object.

Additionally, as previously described, should the line scan array not align properly with the rotating mirror, e.g. because of slight misalignments between the array and the rotating mirror, the dimensioner may not detect any shift in the light.

Moreover, the rotating mirror may become misaligned during shipping or installation through jarring of the dimensioner.

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