A method and apparatus for measuring the volume of a pile, and a batching plant

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of stockpile volume measurement method, device and mixing station, wherein the stockpile volume measurement method is applied to bunker, measuring equipment and moving mechanism are provided on the bunker, the measuring equipment is installed on the moving mechanism, the stockpile volume measurement method includes: obtaining the current coordinates of marker;Wherein the marker is set on the intersection vertical line emitted by the level installed on the moving mechanism for the first time calibration except any point on intersection point;Calculate the distance difference of last coordinate and the current coordinates of the marker;Wherein the last coordinate and the current coordinates are measured by the measuring equipment at different positions;And according to the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring equipment, the volume of the stockpile is calculated.The application can reduce the cost of stockpile volume measurement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of stockpile measurement technology, specifically to a stockpile volume measurement method, apparatus, and mixing plant. Background Technology

[0002] Large bulk cargo distribution centers such as concrete mixing plants, power plants, ports, coal storage bases, and grain silos store large quantities of bulk cargo, including coal, ore, and grain. Stockpile measurement refers to calculating the volume of materials stored in these stockpiles. Currently, material volume measurement can be performed using point cloud mapping with measuring equipment (such as lidar). However, these devices are often fixed in the same location, resulting in a limited field of view. To increase the field of view, the measuring equipment needs to be mounted on a mobile mechanism. When the measuring equipment is in motion, its position information often requires encoders or joint calibration with other equipment, such as adding measuring equipment or using cameras. This significantly increases the cost of stockpile volume measurement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application is proposed. Embodiments of this application provide a method, apparatus, and mixing plant for measuring stockpile volume, which can reduce the cost of stockpile volume measurement.

[0004] According to one aspect of this application, a method for measuring the volume of a stockpile is provided, applied to a silo, wherein the silo is equipped with a measuring device and a moving mechanism, the measuring device being mounted on the moving mechanism, and the method for measuring the volume of the stockpile includes: acquiring the current coordinates of a marker; wherein the marker is set at any point other than the intersection point on the intersecting perpendicular line emitted by a level mounted on the moving mechanism during initial calibration; calculating the distance difference between the previous coordinates and the current coordinates of the marker; wherein the previous coordinates and the current coordinates are obtained by the measuring device at different locations; and calculating the volume of the stockpile based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by the measuring device.

[0005] In one embodiment, before obtaining the current coordinates of the marker, the stockpile volume measurement method includes: setting the marker and establishing a world coordinate system based on the intersecting perpendicular lines emitted by the level; calibrating the coordinate system of the measuring equipment based on the world coordinate system; wherein obtaining the current coordinates of the marker includes: obtaining the corresponding measuring equipment coordinates of the marker in the measuring equipment coordinate system during calibration.

[0006] In one embodiment, calibrating the measuring device coordinate system according to the world coordinate system includes: obtaining calibration parameters from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system, wherein the calibration parameters include an initial translation vector T(x, y, z) and an initial rotation vector R(a, b, c); wherein obtaining the current coordinates of the marker further includes: obtaining the current coordinates of the marker in the world coordinate system according to the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R.

[0007] In one embodiment, calculating the volume of the stockpile based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile measured by the measuring device includes: calibrating the calibration parameters based on the distance difference; transforming the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile measured by the measuring device to the world coordinate system based on the calibrated calibration parameters; and performing point cloud integration on the transformed point cloud coordinates to obtain the volume of the stockpile.

[0008] In one embodiment, the movement path of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level, and the calibration of the calibration parameters based on the distance difference includes: calibrating the translation vector and rotation vector from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system based on the distance difference ΔP; wherein the translation vector is T1 = (x + ΔP, y, z), and the rotation vector is R1 = (a, b, c).

[0009] In one embodiment, calculating the distance difference between the previous coordinates and the current coordinates of the marker includes: ΔP = (P2 - P1), where ΔP represents the distance difference in the world coordinate system, P1 represents the previous coordinates, and P2 represents the current coordinates.

[0010] In one embodiment, calibrating the calibration parameters based on the distance difference includes: calibrating the translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) and the rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c) from the measurement device coordinate system to the world coordinate system based on the distance difference ΔP.

[0011] In one embodiment, setting a marker and establishing a world coordinate system based on the intersecting perpendicular lines emitted by the level includes: setting a first reference point at the intersection of the intersecting perpendicular lines as the origin of the world coordinate system; setting the marker on the horizontal axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the marker as the direction of the X-axis of the world coordinate system; placing a second reference point on the vertical axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the second reference point as the direction of the Z-axis of the world coordinate system; and performing a cross product between the unit vectors of the X-axis and Z-axis, with the resulting vector as the direction of the Y-axis of the world coordinate system.

[0012] According to another aspect of this application, a stockpile volume measuring device is provided, applied to a silo, wherein a measuring device and a moving mechanism are provided on the silo, the measuring device is mounted on the moving mechanism, and the stockpile volume measuring device includes: an acquisition module for acquiring the current coordinates of a marker; wherein the marker is set at any point other than the intersection point on the intersecting perpendicular line emitted by a level mounted on the moving mechanism during initial calibration; a difference calculation module for calculating the distance difference between the previous coordinates and the current coordinates of the marker; wherein the previous coordinates and the current coordinates are obtained by the measuring device at different positions; and a volume calculation module for calculating the volume of the stockpile based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by the measuring device.

[0013] According to another aspect of this application, a mixing plant is provided, including a stockpile volume measurement system and a moving mechanism. The stockpile volume measurement system includes: a level, wherein the level emits a horizontal line parallel to the moving path of the moving mechanism and is initially calibrated on the moving mechanism; a measuring device, wherein the measuring device is a radar, which is disposed on the moving mechanism and changes position with the moving mechanism; and a calculator, wherein the calculator is used to implement the stockpile volume measurement method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0014] The stockpile volume measurement method, device, and mixing plant provided in this application use static markers to calibrate the information based on the positional offset of the markers. This eliminates the need for a moving mechanism to provide positional feedback and allows for stockpile volume measurement based on the calibrated information, significantly reducing costs and improving the efficiency and accuracy of volume measurement. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a stockpile volume measurement method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of radar coordinate system and world coordinate system calibration provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stockpile volume measuring device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments according to this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments of this application. It should be understood that this application is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0021] Application Overview

[0022] Currently, in the concrete industry, the level measurement of high-level silos is often done manually by visual inspection or using measuring equipment (such as radar level gauges). Radar level gauges act as distance sensors, approximating the remaining aggregate in the silo by calculating the height of a point within the silo; their accuracy is relatively low. In other industries, automated data collection from suspended platforms above the stockpile allows for real-time dynamic monitoring of stockpile changes. However, fixed-mounted lidar has limitations in its scanning angle and range, limiting its application to relatively small spaces and narrow distribution areas for scanning small stockpiles. To increase the radar's scanning range, it needs to be mounted on a movable mechanism. For example, when multiple silos share a single radar for measurement, a moving mechanism is required to scan each silo individually. Since ordinary moving mechanisms lack position feedback capabilities, position information is often lost when the silo needs to be measured again, leading to deviations in the initial calibration information. Therefore, radar position information often needs to be provided by encoders or calibrated in conjunction with other devices, such as adding radar or using cameras, which greatly increases the cost of measuring the volume of the stockpile.

[0023] Therefore, this application provides a method, apparatus and mixing plant for measuring stockpile volume. By setting static markers and calibrating based on the positional offset of the markers, the stockpile volume can be measured without the need for a moving mechanism to provide positional feedback. This greatly saves costs and improves the efficiency and accuracy of volume measurement.

[0024] Exemplary mixing plant

[0025] According to another aspect of this application, a mixing plant is provided, including a stockpile volume measurement system and a moving mechanism. The stockpile volume measurement system includes: a level, the level emitting a horizontal line parallel to the moving path of the moving mechanism and initially mounted on the moving mechanism; a measuring device, which is a radar, mounted on the moving mechanism and changing position with the moving mechanism; and a calculator for implementing the stockpile volume measurement method provided in this application. It should be noted that the moving mechanism can be a slide rail and trolley mounted on a stockpile / silo, or it can be configured using a serpentine conveyor belt located above multiple stockpiles / silos.

[0026] During initial calibration, a multi-line level (e.g., a two-line level) can be placed on a moving mechanism. This moving mechanism can be a trolley moving linearly on a slide rail or other linearly moving mechanism. The moving path of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line projected by the level, thus eliminating the interference of angular factors such as rotation angle on the coordinates. The multi-line level projects intersecting vertical lines onto the silo wall to establish a world coordinate system. Markers are placed on the world coordinate system as static calibration markers. After establishing the world coordinate system and placing the markers, the level can be removed. A radar can be used as the measuring device. The radar is mounted on the moving mechanism and scans multiple stockpiles or silos along with the moving mechanism. The radar coordinate system (measuring equipment coordinate system) is calibrated with the world coordinate system. When the radar simultaneously measures the same marker at different locations, the coordinates of the marker returned by the radar are different. Therefore, the Euclidean distance between the two coordinates of the marker can be calculated using a calculator to calibrate the extrinsic parameters between the radar coordinate system and the world coordinate system. Because the radar's coordinate system is calibrated with the world coordinate system, the offset of coordinates in the real world and the offset of coordinates in the radar coordinate system can be mapped back through calibration. By moving the slider, the coordinates fed back by the marker only change the translation vector, and generally only the translation vector of one coordinate is changed. Therefore, calibrating extrinsic parameters is relatively convenient and accurate.

[0027] This application provides a mixing plant that uses a level to establish a coordinate system and sets static markers. The radar calibration information is used to calibrate the plant based on the positional offset of the markers, eliminating the need for a moving mechanism to provide positional feedback. The volume of the material pile is measured based on the calibrated information, which greatly saves costs and improves the efficiency and accuracy of volume measurement.

[0028] Exemplary methods

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a stockpile volume measurement method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown, this method is applied to a silo, which is equipped with a measuring device and a moving mechanism. The measuring device is mounted on the moving mechanism. The method for measuring the volume of the stockpiled material includes:

[0030] Step 100: Obtain the current coordinates of the marker.

[0031] The marker is set at any point on the intersecting vertical line launched by the level installed on the moving mechanism during the initial calibration, excluding the intersection point.

[0032] During initial calibration, a multi-line level (e.g., a two-line level) is placed on a moving mechanism. This mechanism can be a trolley moving linearly on a slide rail or other linearly moving mechanism, and its movement path is parallel to the horizontal line projected by the level. The multi-line level projects intersecting perpendicular lines onto the silo wall. A world coordinate system is established based on these intersecting perpendicular lines, and a marker is placed at any point on either of the two intersecting perpendicular lines. After establishing the world coordinate system and placing the marker, the level can be removed. A radar can be used as the measuring device to record the coordinates of the marker fed back to the radar. For the same silo or the same stockpile, the already placed marker can be reused repeatedly to calibrate the calibration parameters between the measuring device's coordinate system and the world coordinate system, thereby ensuring accurate calibration between the measuring device's coordinate system and the world coordinate system. The marker can be placed at any point on the x-axis of the world coordinate system, excluding the origin, or at any point on the y-axis of the world coordinate system, excluding the origin.

[0033] Step 200: Calculate the distance difference between the previous coordinates and the current coordinates of the marker.

[0034] The previous and current coordinates are obtained by measuring equipment at different locations.

[0035] If a measuring device (such as radar) needs to move back and forth between different stockpiles (silos), repeated measurements of the same stockpile may result in positional discrepancies. For example, if the radar first scans the first stockpile and then the second, and the volume of the first stockpile changes, requiring a second measurement, the radar needs to return to the position of the first stockpile. However, the radar will lose the measurement position of the first stockpile or will not be able to accurately return to the position from the first measurement. Therefore, the calibration parameters between the measuring device's coordinate system and the world coordinate system become unusable. In this case, the discrepancy can be calibrated by calculating the distance difference between the previous and current coordinates of the marker, allowing the calibration between the measuring device's coordinate system and the world coordinate system to be reapplied. The previous coordinates are the marker coordinates recorded during the first scan of the first stockpile, and the current coordinates are the marker coordinates recorded during the second scan of the first stockpile.

[0036] Step 300: Calculate the volume of the stockpile based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile as measured by the measuring equipment.

[0037] Based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by measuring equipment (such as radar), the calibration between the measuring equipment's coordinate system and the world coordinate system can be reapplied. This allows the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by radar to be transformed into the world coordinate system, and then point cloud integration calculations can be performed to determine the volume of the stockpile. By calibrating the calibration parameters between coordinate systems using the distance difference, secondary measurements can be performed quickly without reconstructing and calibrating the coordinate system, and without increasing costs by adding new equipment.

[0038] In one embodiment, prior to step 100 above, the stockpile volume measurement method may include: setting up markers and establishing a world coordinate system based on intersecting vertical lines emitted by a level; calibrating the coordinate system of the measuring equipment based on the world coordinate system; wherein step 100 above may include: obtaining the corresponding measuring equipment coordinates of the markers in the measuring equipment coordinate system during calibration.

[0039] During initial calibration, a multi-line level (e.g., a two-line level) is placed on a moving mechanism. This mechanism can be a trolley moving linearly on a slide rail or other linearly moving mechanism. The moving path of the mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line projected by the level, thus eliminating interference from angular factors such as rotation angles on the coordinates. The multi-line level projects intersecting vertical lines onto the silo wall to establish a world coordinate system. Markers are then placed on this world coordinate system. After establishing the world coordinate system and placing the markers, the level can be removed. These markers can be physical objects installed on the silo wall, used to provide coordinate feedback in measuring equipment (such as radar).

[0040] In one embodiment, calibrating the coordinate system of the measuring device according to the world coordinate system includes: obtaining calibration parameters from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system, wherein the calibration parameters include an initial translation vector T(x, y, z) and an initial rotation vector R(a, b, c); wherein the above step 100 may further include: obtaining the current coordinates of the marker in the world coordinate system according to the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R.

[0041] According to the world coordinate system, the coordinate system of measuring equipment (such as the radar coordinate system) can be calibrated using conventional calibration methods, for example... Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of radar coordinate system and world coordinate system calibration provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the transformation equation for calibrating the world coordinate system (x, y, z) and the radar coordinate system (x', y', z') is:

[0042]

[0043] Where R represents the rotation vector and T represents the translation vector, and R and T are the external parameters (i.e., calibration parameters) for radar calibration.

[0044] Normally, if the radar does not move, the point cloud coordinates can be converted based on the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R to calculate the stockpile volume. However, after the radar moves and its position changes, the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R can no longer be converted. In this case, the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R need to be calibrated.

[0045] In one embodiment, step 300 may include: calibrating the calibration parameters according to the distance difference; transforming the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile measured by the measuring device to the world coordinate system according to the calibrated calibration parameters; and performing point cloud integration calculation on the transformed point cloud coordinates to obtain the volume of the stockpile.

[0046] Based on the coordinates of the measuring equipment (such as radar coordinates) of the two markers, the distance difference is calculated. The calibration parameters can be calibrated based on the distance difference. Based on the calibrated rotation vector R and translation vector T, the point cloud coordinates of the radar map are transformed into the world coordinate system. The ROI (region of interest) is extracted and the point cloud is rasterized. The volume of the stockpile is obtained by integration.

[0047] In one embodiment, the movement path of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level. The calibration of the calibration parameters based on the distance difference includes: calibrating the translation vector and rotation vector from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system based on the distance difference ΔP; wherein the translation vector is T1=(x+ΔP,y,z), and the rotation vector is R1=(a,b,c).

[0048] During initial calibration, a multi-line level (e.g., a two-line level) is placed on a moving mechanism. This mechanism can be a trolley moving linearly on a slide rail or other linearly moving mechanism. The moving path of the mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level, thus eliminating interference from angular factors such as rotation angles on the coordinates. This ensures that the axes of the world coordinate system remain consistent with the radar's movement direction, reducing angular errors during extrinsic parameter calibration during repeated radar movements. Therefore, the coordinates fed back by the marker only change the translation vector, and generally only one coordinate's translation vector is changed. Furthermore, since the radar's coordinate system and the world coordinate system have been calibrated, the offsets in the real world coordinate system and the offsets in the radar coordinate system can be mapped back through calibration. Therefore, the distance difference ΔP can be directly added to the translation vector for calibration parameter calibration.

[0049] In one embodiment, step 200 may include: ΔP = (P2 - P1), where ΔP represents the difference in distance in the world coordinate system, P1 represents the previous coordinate, and P2 represents the current coordinate.

[0050] For example, during calibration, the position of the first marker on the X-axis in the radar coordinate system is recorded as P1. After offsetting the position, the coordinates of the first marker on the X-axis in the radar coordinate system are recorded as P2. The Euclidean distance ΔP between P1 and P2 is calculated. This Euclidean distance ΔP is the difference between P1 and P2 in the world coordinate system. The extrinsic parameters (i.e., calibration parameters) from the radar coordinate system to the world coordinate system can be calibrated through ΔP.

[0051] In one embodiment, calibrating the calibration parameters based on the distance difference includes: calibrating the translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) and the rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c) from the measurement device coordinate system to the world coordinate system based on the distance difference ΔP.

[0052] If ΔP = (P2 - P1), then based on ΔP, the translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system, and the rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c), can be calibrated. The rotation vector R1 remains unchanged compared to the initial rotation vector R(a, b, c) because the axes of the world coordinate system are aligned with the direction of movement of the measuring device, reducing angular errors during extrinsic parameter calibration during repeated device movements. The translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) changes only in the x-coordinate compared to the initial translation vector T(x, y, z), thus eliminating interference from other directional changes on extrinsic parameter calibration. Calibrating the calibration parameters using the distance difference ΔP not only allows for repeated calibration, improving the efficiency of volume measurement, but also increases the accuracy of volume measurement while reducing the investment cost of the measuring device.

[0053] When calibrating for the first time, with the marker set on the y-axis, the translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) from the measuring equipment coordinate system to the world coordinate system can be calibrated according to ΔP, and the rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c). When the marker is set on the y-axis, the calibration and adjustment principle is the same as when the marker is set on the x-axis.

[0054] In one embodiment, setting a marker and establishing a world coordinate system based on intersecting perpendicular lines emitted by a level includes: setting a first reference point at the intersection of the intersecting perpendicular lines as the origin of the world coordinate system; setting a marker on the horizontal axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the marker as the direction of the X-axis of the world coordinate system; placing a second reference point on the vertical axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the second reference point as the direction of the Z-axis of the world coordinate system; and performing a cross product between the unit vectors of the X-axis and Z-axis, with the resulting vector as the direction of the Y-axis of the world coordinate system.

[0055] During initial calibration, a multi-line level (e.g., a two-line level) is placed on a moving mechanism. This moving mechanism can be a trolley moving linearly on a slide rail or other linearly moving mechanism. The moving path of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level, thus eliminating the interference of angular factors such as rotation angle on the coordinates. A first reference point is set at the intersection of the intersecting perpendicular lines, serving as the origin of the world coordinate system. A marker is set on the horizontal axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the marker serving as the X-axis direction of the world coordinate system. A second reference point is placed on the vertical axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the second reference point serving as the Z-axis or Y-axis direction of the world coordinate system. The cross product of the X-axis and Z-axis unit vectors is used as the Y-axis direction of the world coordinate system, or the cross product of the X-axis and Y-axis unit vectors is used as the Z-axis direction of the world coordinate system. When selecting a marker as a static calibration marker, you can choose a marker on the X-axis or a second reference on the Z-axis as the marker. Record the changes in the radar coordinates of the marker as the basis for external parameter calibration.

[0056] Operating conditions: During initial calibration, a multi-line level is placed on a moving mechanism equipped with radar. Intersecting vertical lines are projected onto the silo wall using the level. A first reference point is set at the intersection of these lines, serving as the origin of the world coordinate system. A marker is placed on the horizontal axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the marker serving as the X-axis direction of the world coordinate system. A second reference point is placed on the vertical axis away from the origin, with the direction from the first reference point to the second reference point serving as the Z-axis direction of the world coordinate system. The cross product of the X-axis and Z-axis unit vectors is then performed, and the resulting vector serves as the Y-axis direction of the world coordinate system. At this point, the world coordinate system for calculating the stockpile volume is complete. Using conventional calibration methods, the radar coordinate system is calibrated against the world coordinate system, obtaining the translation vector T(x, y, z) and rotation vector R(a, b, c) from the radar coordinate system to the world coordinate system. The position P1 of the marker in the radar is recorded at this point. When the radar position changes and it is necessary to measure the material pile where the marker is located again, the coordinates P2 of the marker in the radar coordinate system are measured. By calculating the Euclidean distance ΔP between P2 and P1, the translation vector T1 = (x + ΔP, y, z) and rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c) from the radar coordinate system to the world coordinate system are calibrated. Based on the calibrated rotation vector R1 and translation vector T1, the point cloud coordinates mapped by the radar are transformed to the world coordinate system, the ROI (region of interest) is extracted, and the point cloud is rasterized. The volume of the material pile is then calculated by integration.

[0057] Exemplary device

[0058] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stockpile volume measuring device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the stockpile volume measuring device 8 is applied to a silo. The silo is equipped with a measuring device and a moving mechanism. The measuring device is mounted on the moving mechanism. The stockpile volume measuring device 8 includes: an acquisition module 81, which is used to acquire the current coordinates of a marker; wherein the marker is set at any point other than the intersection point on the intersecting perpendicular line emitted by the level mounted on the moving mechanism during the initial calibration; a difference calculation module 82, which is used to calculate the distance difference between the previous coordinates and the current coordinates of the marker; wherein the previous coordinates and the current coordinates are obtained by the measuring device at different positions; and a volume calculation module 83, which is used to calculate the volume of the stockpile based on the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by the measuring device.

[0059] This application provides a material stockpile volume measurement device. By setting static markers, calibration information is calibrated based on the positional offset of the markers. No moving mechanism is required for positional information feedback. The material stockpile volume is measured based on the calibrated information, which greatly saves costs and improves the efficiency and accuracy of volume measurement.

[0060] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned stockpile volume measuring device 8 can be configured to: set markers and establish a world coordinate system based on the intersecting perpendicular lines emitted by the level; calibrate the measuring equipment coordinate system based on the world coordinate system; wherein, the above-mentioned acquisition module 81 can be configured to: acquire the corresponding measuring equipment coordinates of the markers in the measuring equipment coordinate system during calibration.

[0061] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned stockpile volume measuring device 8 can also be configured to: acquire calibration parameters from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system, wherein the calibration parameters include an initial translation vector T(x, y, z) and an initial rotation vector R(a, b, c); wherein the above-mentioned acquisition module 81 can be configured to: acquire the current coordinates of the marker in the world coordinate system based on the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R.

[0062] In one embodiment, the volume calculation module 83 can be configured to: calibrate the calibration parameters based on the distance difference; transform the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile mapped by the measuring device to the world coordinate system based on the calibrated calibration parameters; and perform point cloud integration calculation on the transformed point cloud coordinates to obtain the volume of the stockpile.

[0063] In one embodiment, the moving path of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level. The above-mentioned volume calculation module 83 can also be configured to: calibrate the translation vector and rotation vector from the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system according to the distance difference ΔP; wherein, the translation vector is T1=(x+ΔP,y,z), and the rotation vector is R1=(a,b,c).

[0064] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned difference calculation module 82 can be configured as: ΔP = (P2 - P1), where ΔP represents the difference in distance in the world coordinate system, P1 represents the previous coordinate, and P2 represents the current coordinate.

[0065] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned volume calculation module 83 may also be configured to: calibrate the translation vector T1 = (x + P2 - P1, y, z) and rotation vector R1 = (a, b, c) from the measurement device coordinate system to the world coordinate system according to the distance difference ΔP.

[0066] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned stockpile volume measuring device 8 can also be configured as follows: a first reference object is set at the intersection of intersecting perpendicular lines as the origin of the world coordinate system; a marker is set on the horizontal axis away from the origin, and the direction from the first reference object to the marker is used as the direction of the X-axis of the world coordinate system; a second reference object is placed on the vertical axis away from the origin, and the direction from the first reference object to the second reference object is used as the direction of the Z-axis of the world coordinate system; the cross product of the unit vectors of the X-axis and Z-axis is performed, and the resulting vector is used as the direction of the Y-axis of the world coordinate system.

[0067] Exemplary electronic devices

[0068] An electronic device includes: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; and a processor for executing the stockpile volume measurement method described in the embodiments of this application.

[0069] Below, for reference Figure 4 This application describes an electronic device according to embodiments thereof. The electronic device may be either or both of a first device and a second device, or a standalone device independent of them, which may communicate with the first device and the second device to receive acquired input signals from them.

[0070] Figure 4 A block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device 10 includes one or more processors 11 and memory 12.

[0072] The processor 11 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or other form of processing unit with data processing capabilities and / or instruction execution capabilities, and may control other components in the electronic device 10 to perform desired functions.

[0073] The memory 12 may include one or more computer program products, which may include various forms of computer-readable storage media, such as volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, etc. One or more computer program instructions may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and the processor 11 may execute the program instructions to implement the stockpile volume measurement methods of the various embodiments of this application described above and / or other desired functions. Various contents such as input signals, signal components, and noise components may also be stored in the computer-readable storage medium.

[0074] In one example, the electronic device 10 may also include an input device 13 and an output device 14, which are interconnected via a bus system and / or other forms of connection mechanism (not shown).

[0075] When the electronic device is a standalone device, the input device 13 can be a communication network connector for receiving the collected input signals from the first device and the second device.

[0076] In addition, the input device 13 may also include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.

[0077] The output device 14 can output various information to the outside, including determined distance information, direction information, etc. The output device 14 may include, for example, a display, a speaker, a printer, and a communication network and its connected remote output devices, etc.

[0078] Of course, for the sake of simplicity, Figure 4 Only some of the components of the electronic device 10 relevant to this application are shown in this illustration; components such as buses, input / output interfaces, etc., are omitted. In addition, the electronic device 10 may include any other suitable components depending on the specific application.

[0079] The computer program product can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages ​​to perform the operations of the embodiments of this application. The programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java and C++, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computing device, partially on the user's computing device, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computing device and partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server.

[0080] A computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program for executing the stockpile volume measurement method described in the embodiments provided in this application.

[0081] The computer-readable storage medium may be any combination of one or more readable media. A readable medium may be a readable signal medium or a readable storage medium. A readable storage medium may, for example, include, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatuses, or devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of readable storage media (a non-exhaustive list) include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0082] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A method of measuring the volume of a pile of material applied to a bin, characterized by, The measuring device is installed on the moving mechanism, and the stockpile volume measuring method comprises: Setting a marker and establishing a world coordinate system according to the intersecting plumb lines emitted by the level; Calibrating a measuring device coordinate system according to the world coordinate system; Obtaining a current coordinate of the marker; wherein the marker is set on any point on the intersecting plumb lines emitted by the level installed on the moving mechanism during the first calibration, except the intersection point; Obtaining a corresponding measuring device coordinate of the marker in the measuring device coordinate system during calibration; Calculating a distance difference value of the last coordinate and the current coordinate of the marker; wherein the last coordinate and the current coordinate are measured by the measuring device at different positions; and Calculating the volume of the stockpile according to the distance difference value and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring device.

2. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 1, wherein, The calibration of the measuring device coordinate system according to the world coordinate system comprises: Obtaining calibration parameters of the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system, wherein the calibration parameters comprise an initial translation vector T(x, y, z) and an initial rotation vector R(a, b, c); Wherein, the obtaining of the current coordinate of the marker further comprises: Obtaining the current coordinate of the marker in the world coordinate system according to the initial translation vector T and the initial rotation vector R.

3. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 1, wherein, The calculation of the volume of the stockpile according to the distance difference value and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring device comprises: Calibrating the calibration parameters according to the distance difference value; Converting the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring device to the world coordinate system according to the calibrated calibration parameters; Converting the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring device to the world coordinate system according to the calibrated calibration parameters; 4. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 3, wherein, The moving route of the moving mechanism is parallel to the horizontal line emitted by the level, and the calibration of the calibration parameters according to the distance difference value comprises: Calibrating the translation vector and the rotation vector of the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system according to the distance difference value ΔP; wherein the translation vector is T1=(x+ΔP, y, z), and the rotation vector is R1=(a, b, c).

5. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 3, wherein, The calculation of the distance difference value of the last coordinate and the current coordinate of the marker comprises: ΔP=(P2-P1), wherein ΔP represents the difference value in the world coordinate system, P1 represents the last coordinate, and P2 represents the current coordinate.

6. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 5, wherein, The calibration of the calibration parameters according to the distance difference value comprises: Calibrating the translation vector T1=(x+P2-P1, y, z) and the rotation vector R1=(a, b, c) of the measuring device coordinate system to the world coordinate system according to the distance difference value ΔP.

7. The stockpile volume measurement method of claim 1, wherein, Setting a marker and establishing a world coordinate system according to the intersecting plumb lines emitted by the level comprises: Setting a first reference at the intersection point of the intersecting plumb lines as the origin of the world coordinate system; Setting the marker away from the origin on the horizontal axis, and taking the direction from the first reference to the marker as the direction of the X axis of the world coordinate system; A second reference object is arranged away from the origin on the longitudinal axis, and the direction from the first reference object to the second reference object is taken as the direction of the Z axis of the world coordinate system; The X axis is cross-multiplied with the Z axis unit vector, and the obtained vector is taken as the direction of the Y axis of the world coordinate system.

8. A material pile volume measuring device for use in a bin, the device comprising: The measuring device is installed on the moving mechanism, and the stockpile volume measuring device comprises: A world coordinate system is established according to the intersecting plumb lines emitted by the level and the markers; and the measuring device coordinate system is calibrated according to the world coordinate system; The acquisition module is configured to acquire the current coordinates of the markers; wherein the markers are arranged on any point on the intersecting plumb lines emitted by the level installed on the moving mechanism during the first calibration, except the intersection point; The acquisition module is configured to acquire the corresponding measuring device coordinates of the markers in the measuring device coordinate system during calibration; The distance difference between the last coordinates of the markers and the current coordinates is calculated by the calculation difference module; wherein the last coordinates and the current coordinates are measured by the measuring device at different positions; and The volume is calculated by the calculation volume module according to the distance difference and the point cloud coordinates of the stockpile surveyed by the measuring device.

9. A mixing station, characterized in that The stockpile volume measuring system comprises: The level emits a horizontal line parallel to the moving route of the moving mechanism and is arranged on the moving mechanism during the first calibration; The measuring device is a radar, which is arranged on the moving mechanism and changes with the position of the moving mechanism; The calculator is used to implement the stockpile volume measuring method according to any one of claims 1-7.

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