Load carrier control apparatus, operating method and use

Abstract

A load carrier control apparatus (1) comprising a control device (50), the control device (50) comprising a sensor device (51) and a computing device (52). The computing device (52) is suitable and designed for using an evaluation based on an automated application to inspect a quality feature of a controllable load carrier (100) on the basis of the data captured by the sensor device (51), the automated application comprising an AI application and / or at least one computer vision application. The method for operating such a load carrier control apparatus (1) involves using the automated application to infer at least one quality feature and initiating an accordingly predetermined action. The use relates to an automated application comprising at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application for controlling load carriers (100).

Description

[0001] Load carrier control device, method for operation and use

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a charge carrier monitoring device comprising at least one monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device comprises at least one sensor device and at least one computing device. The present invention also relates to a method for operating such a charge carrier monitoring device and to a use thereof.

[0004] Load carriers are used to carry objects or multiple objects to ensure standardized transport of these objects. Load carriers can be made of a wide variety of materials and have different shapes and designs.

[0005] For example, there are flat wooden pallets, so-called Euro pallets (EN 13698-1), which have a defined base area of ​​800 mm x 1200 mm.

[0006] Such standardized load carriers offer many advantages for transporting individual objects and / or stacked general cargo, for example. Generally, all industrial trucks can accommodate and transport such a pallet.

[0007] Furthermore, the standardized base area offers the possibility, for example, of selecting a predetermined layer pattern and / or the bag size in relation to a later layer pattern in a suitable manner when stacking bags on such a pallet.

[0008] The construction of load carriers is generally relatively simple. The aforementioned Euro pallets consist of wooden slats and wooden blocks, which are connected with nails in a predetermined arrangement.

[0009] The problem with these pallets, however, is that they can be damaged during transport. Individual slats can splinter or even break completely, and nails can also stick out toward the loading area.

[0010] Protruding parts, e.g. wooden slats and / or protruding nails, other foreign objects and / or deformed planks or slats, can damage the goods being transported. Especially when sacks filled with bulk goods are stacked on a defective pallet, for example, the sacks lying directly on the pallet can be damaged and bulk goods can leak out. Depending on the type of bulk goods, the resulting dust can contaminate the surrounding area and / or even create a hazardous situation if the bulk goods are harmful to health and / or environmentally hazardous.

[0011] If individual slats and / or blocks of the pallet are missing and / or are otherwise deformed, the pallet is usually too unstable to ensure safe transport.

[0012] Since palletizing is largely automated in many areas, only new and hopefully undamaged pallets are used in certain areas to avoid disadvantages due to defects in the goods being transported. For example, in overseas transport, entire containers are rejected and returned if the load includes bags filled with bulk goods and dust or dirt is detected upon opening the container. This results in considerable costs, so only new pallets are used as a precaution.

[0013] However, the use of new pallets results in high costs and, in addition, a new pallet can also be defective or damaged shortly before automatic loading.

[0014] The problem of integrity and / or correct alignment and / or positioning, for example, of folding boxes, collapsible boxes, lattice boxes, racks and / or other similar load carriers is accordingly critical.

[0015] It is therefore the object of the present invention to avoid damage to the load caused by defective and / or incorrectly designed and / or load carriers, in particular when using load carriers that have already been used, such as pool pallets, circulation pallets and / or reusable pallets.

[0016] This object is achieved by a load carrier control device having the features of claim 1, by a method for operating a load carrier control device having the features of claim 7, and by a use according to claim 12. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the general description and the description of the exemplary embodiment.

[0017] The load carrier inspection device according to the invention comprises at least one inspection device, wherein the inspection device comprises at least one sensor device and at least one computing device. The computing device is suitable and designed to check at least one quality feature of at least the top side of at least one empty load carrier to be inspected using the data acquired by the sensor device and an evaluation based on at least one automated application, wherein the automated application comprises at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application.

[0018] The fact that an empty load carrier is checked means in particular that it is not a packed load carrier, i.e. no load unit comprising a load carrier and packages arranged on it, that is examined, but only an empty or unpacked or unloaded or unfilled load carrier such as a pallet.

[0019] A load carrier is, in particular, a normed and / or standardized load carrier such as a so-called Euro pallet. Depending on their design, such load carriers can be made of different materials and have certain other properties such as shape, height, and / or mountings for industrial trucks. A Euro pallet, for example, is usually made of wood and constructed in such a way that conventional industrial trucks such as forklifts and / or pallet trucks can drive under or into the pallet and then lift it for further transport. Other load carriers can, however, also be made of or include other materials and can also differ in shape and other properties.

[0020] However, a load carrier also includes pallets made of other materials and differently shaped or constructed load carriers, such as folding boxes, collapsible boxes, lattice boxes, racks, and / or the like. A computing device preferably comprises at least one computer and / or the like and / or is provided by at least one computer and / or the like.

[0021] One quality feature is in particular the intactness of the load carrier or at least the top side of the load carrier on which the goods to be conveyed or the load are standing. Thus, depending on the design, a quality feature is preferably checked, for example, whether all components of the load carrier are present, whether all components are intact or undamaged and / or whether foreign objects are protruding from the area of ​​the loading area or the top side of the load carrier. In the area of ​​Euro pallets, for example, a check can be made to see whether all slats or blocks are present, whether individual slats are broken or splintered or whether parts of them are sticking up and could penetrate the goods to be loaded and / or whether nails or other foreign objects or parts of the previous load are protruding from the top side of the load carrier, which could damage the load.In general, depending on the design, it is checked whether planks, boards and / or the surface are deformed and / or missing, and whether the load carrier and / or the load are / become unstable as a result, or whether the load could be damaged.

[0022] At least the top side of the load carrier is checked or inspected, with the load subsequently being placed on the top side. Preferably, however, the sides and / or underside of the load carrier are also checked for damage using the load carrier inspection device.

[0023] The load carrier control device according to the invention can be used in particular in the field of loading bags filled with bulk material. An automated application is, in particular, at least one processor-based application or a computer-based application that processes, further processes, or analyzes the data acquired by the sensor device.

[0024] According to the invention, the automated application is at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application and / or comprises at least one of these applications.

[0025] Computer vision refers specifically to the analysis of images and videos using computer programs. The goal of these analyses is primarily to extract information contained in the image. Depending on the design, probabilistic methods, image processing, projective geometry, deep learning, and computer graphics are preferably used.

[0026] In the area of ​​AI application, any application in the field of artificial intelligence can be used which can be used advantageously for monitoring in relation to the control of load carriers.

[0027] The use of machine learning (ML) is particularly advantageous here, with such machine learning being a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI). Central components of machine learning are algorithms and methods that enable programs to learn from data without being explicitly programmed. This allows these programs to make decisions, preferably independently. A distinction is made between supervised, unsupervised, and semi-supervised learning. Supervised learning methods include convolutional neural networks (also known as space-invariant artificial neural networks) and further developments of convolutional neural networks, such as region-based convolutional neural networks.These modifications of conventional neural networks are particularly suitable for image processing applications, since, depending on the design, one or more preprocessing steps are carried out before the neural network, including, for example, convolution operations depending on the application.

[0028] In particular, sensors (e.g., optical sensors such as a color or black / white camera, thermal imaging, etc.) are used to record data from specific states. These images and their states are then correlated by assigning the corresponding label to each state (an image = a matrix of information).

[0029] A defect in a load carrier detected by the control device can also be used as an additional data basis for training.

[0030] This declared information is then transferred / trained into a CNN (convolutional neural network), preferably using machine learning or AI methods or AI applications.

[0031] If a sensor, for example, observes the load carrier, the data is continuously passed through the CNN, which evaluates the condition directly and the status is further processed by a control device (e.g. defective load carrier detected = load carrier is discarded).

[0032] A sensor device can, for example, be and / or comprise a camera device, or, depending on the design, can also comprise or be designed as an acoustic sensor, a temperature sensor and / or at least one other suitable sensor.

[0033] The load carrier inspection device according to the invention offers many advantages. A significant advantage is that empty load carriers can be automatically inspected before use or before loading, packing, or filling, so that during a subsequent loading process, it is ensured that the load carrier itself is intact, undamaged, or intact.

[0034] Whether a load carrier packed with cargo has predetermined properties or quality features and / or is undamaged can preferably be checked with a device provided for this purpose or, depending on the design, in a separate step, preferably also with the device according to the invention.

[0035] By reliably checking the integrity of the load carrier using a KL application or a computer vision application, it can be achieved that even used load carriers can be used, especially for sensitive cargo or for sensitive areas of transport, thus eliminating the need to use new and therefore very expensive load carriers.

[0036] As a rule, the additional costs for such a load carrier control device can be offset very quickly, since on the one hand the use of used load carriers is considerably cheaper and, on the other hand, damage caused by new load carriers can be avoided, particularly in the area of ​​automatic loading or palletising.

[0037] The monitoring device is preferably operatively connected to at least one control device, wherein the evaluation of the automated application is transferable to the control device. Such a control device can in particular be part of the load carrier monitoring device or be comprised thereof. Depending on the design, the control device can also be a separate component or be assigned to another system which, for example, transports the load carriers. Since the control device can preferably initiate predetermined actions by means of the evaluation of the automated application, the ejection of defective or damaged load carriers from an automated conveyor system for load carriers can be achieved, for example.

[0038] Particularly preferably, the sensor device comprises at least one camera device. Such a camera device can capture images or image data, particularly of the top side of the load carrier to be inspected, so that damage to the load carrier can be reliably determined by evaluating the images using the automated application. In particular, depending on the design, the camera's detection area captures not only the top side but at least also the sides of the load carrier.

[0039] Preferably, such a camera device can comprise any suitable type of camera. In particular, the use of a conventional webcam is also possible.

[0040] In expedient embodiments, at least one conveyor device for load carriers to be inspected is included. Such a conveyor device or a transport system for load carriers can, for example, be included in the load carrier inspection device and / or be assigned to it. Thus, pallets can be conveyed to the loading or palletizing location by means of the conveyor device and, in particular, can be automatically inspected for damage during transport.

[0041] In advantageous further developments, the conveyor device is at least partially and / or at least temporarily suitable and designed to (also) release the underside of the conveyed load carrier for inspection. This makes it possible, in particular, to inspect the load carrier for damage from below. Depending on the design and structure of the load carrier inspection device, the entire load carrier can be inspected.

[0042] The inspection device is preferably suitable and designed to detect, as quality features, a protruding nail, a broken and / or splintered slat, a foreign body, a deformed and / or damaged surface, and / or a missing component. In particular, it is detected, checked, or evaluated whether the load carrier meets the predetermined requirements or quality specifications. For example, it is also preferably possible to check whether the correct type of pallet is being used.

[0043] The method according to the invention is suitable for operating a load carrier control device as described above. Based on the evaluation of the data from the sensor device, the control device uses the automated application to determine at least one quality feature and initiate a correspondingly predetermined action, wherein the automated application comprises at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application.

[0044] A predetermined action can in particular be at least an error message, a warning and / or the rejection or non-use or removal of a load carrier identified as defective.

[0045] The same definitions of artificial intelligence and computer vision apply here as previously described for the charge carrier monitoring device according to the invention. The method according to the invention also offers the advantages previously described for the charge carrier monitoring device.

[0046] The automated application preferably checks the data online. For example, a calculation process can be executed decentrally on multiple computing centers or on an online computing application based on the data to determine a predetermined event.

[0047] Particularly preferably, the automated application is trained and / or usable offline on the computing device. Depending on the design, the automated application can initially be trained online in order to have the broadest and greatest possible computing power available for training. Depending on the design, any additional functionality and further learning can also take place locally.

[0048] The automated application is further trained in appropriate training courses. This can be done online, offline, or using other methods and procedures.

[0049] Particularly preferably, a protruding nail, a broken and / or splintered slat, a foreign body and / or a missing component is detected as a quality feature. In particular, it is detected whether the load carrier meets the predetermined requirements or quality features. Preferably, for example, it can also be checked whether the correct type of pallet is being used. In the case of folding boxes, wire mesh boxes and / or collapsible boxes, etc., it can be checked, for example, whether these are correctly unfolded or assembled and / or aligned and / or whether there are any missing or defective parts and / or whether damage and / or a foreign body in the area of ​​the loading area could cause damage to the load. The use according to the invention relates to the use of an automated application comprising at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application for checking load carriers.

[0050] The use according to the invention also offers the advantages that have already been previously described for the charge carrier control device according to the invention and the method according to the invention.

[0051] Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiment which will be explained below with reference to the accompanying figures.

[0052] The figures show:

[0053] Fig. 1 is a purely schematic representation of an embodiment of a load carrier control device according to the invention with an undamaged load carrier in a perspective view;

[0054] Fig. 2 is a purely schematic representation of the embodiment according to Figure 1 with a defective charge carrier;

[0055] Fig. 3 is a purely schematic representation of the embodiment according to Figure 1 with a further defective charge carrier;

[0056] Fig. 4 is a purely schematic representation of the embodiment according to Figure 1 with another defective charge carrier; and

[0057] Fig. 5 is a purely schematic representation of another embodiment of a load carrier monitoring device according to the invention in a perspective view. Figure 1 shows a purely schematic representation of a load carrier monitoring device 1 according to the invention with a load carrier 100 to be checked in a (partial) perspective view.

[0058] In the illustrated embodiment, the load carrier inspection device according to the invention is intended to check the integrity, in particular of the upper side 101 of the load carrier 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the load carrier is a so-called Euro pallet 103, which is a special or standardized type of flat wooden pallet.

[0059] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the load carrier control device 1 comprises a control device 50, which here comprises a sensor device 51 and a computing device 52. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the computing device 52 is a computer 53, which is online or connected to the Internet, as indicated by the corresponding symbol.

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor device 51 comprises a camera device 54, which is embodied here as a conventional webcam 55. Using this sensor device 51 or the camera device 54, the empty load carrier 100 to be inspected or a corresponding detection area 56 can be recorded and / or adjusted.

[0061] Depending on the design, the detection area 56 corresponds to the entire recording area of ​​the camera device 54. However, it is also possible and generally provided that a larger image section is limited to a specific detection area 56 as part of the image processing by the computing device 52 and / or a user. The images or image data recorded by the sensor device 51 or the camera device 54 or the webcam 55 are checked for defects by the computing device 52 or the computer 53 by means of an automated application comprising at least one AI application and / or a computer vision application. In particular, it is checked whether certain quality characteristics are maintained or, conversely, via the detection of possible defects, whether at least the upper side 101 of the empty load carrier 100 or the pallet 103 meets all predetermined quality requirements.

[0062] Furthermore, a control device 30 is provided, which in the embodiment shown here is included in the load carrier control device 1. This control device 30 is operatively connected to the control device 50 or to the computing device 52, wherein the evaluation generated by the computing device 52 can be transmitted to the control device 30.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the control device 30 can perform a predetermined action based on the evaluation of the computing device 52. For example, a warning signal can be issued, or in the case of an automated transport system for load carriers, the system can be stopped, or, for example, a pallet or a defective load carrier 100 identified as defective can be removed from the transport system or conveyor system so that it is no longer used.

[0064] Figure 2 shows the embodiment shown in Figure 1 again, but here a load carrier 100 or a Euro pallet 103 is being inspected that does not meet the quality requirements. The embodiment shown here shows that the provided detection area 56 can also detect that not all components of the pallet 103 or the load carrier 100 are present, which compromises stability. Two corner blocks 104 are missing in the embodiment shown, so that the slats 105 otherwise connected to them do not have sufficient stability.

[0065] In Figure 3, the embodiment of a load carrier control device 1 according to the invention according to Figure 1 is shown again, wherein here a different defect of a pallet 103 or a load carrier 100 is shown purely schematically.

[0066] In the embodiment shown here, a slat 105 is splintered or partially broken, leaving a large splinter 106 protruding upward, which could damage the load being picked up. The splintered area is also shown in an enlarged view.

[0067] Particularly when loading bags filled with bulk material, this can lead to damage to the bag, causing dust to escape, which could cause contamination or even pose a hazard.

[0068] In Figure 4, the embodiment according to Figure 1 is shown again, wherein a next defect of a load carrier 100 or a pallet 103 is shown as an example, which can be detected.

[0069] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the protrusion of a nail 107 is detected, as can be clearly seen, particularly in the enlarged view. Such a nail 107 or another foreign body protruding from the upper side 101 of the load carrier 100 could also cause damage, particularly in bags filled with bulk material, which could result in the disadvantages already described.

[0070] Figure 5 shows a purely schematic representation of a further exemplary embodiment of a charge carrier control device 1 according to the invention, which corresponds in basic structure to the previously shown written exemplary embodiment.

[0071] In the embodiment shown, it is further shown that the load carrier control device 1 can comprise a conveyor device 60 or is assigned to such a conveyor device 60.

[0072] Load carriers 100, and in the illustrated embodiment, pallets or Euro pallets 103, for example, are transported from a warehouse to a loading location via such a conveyor device 60. Here, too, the top side 101 and the sides of the load carrier 100 are checked using a first sensor device 51 or a camera device 54, or in this case, a webcam 55.

[0073] In contrast to the previously shown embodiment, the control device 50 here comprises a second sensor device 51 or camera device 54 or webcam 55. The second camera device 54 is provided such that the detection area 56 of this camera device 54 can record the underside 102 of the load carrier 100 or the Euro pallet 103 at least in sections.

[0074] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, it is shown that the conveyor device 60 has an interruption 61, so that the camera device 54 can check or monitor the underside 102 of the load carrier in sections during the conveyance of the load carrier 100 via the conveyor device 60 when the respective section of pallet 103 is conveyed via the interruption 61 of the conveyor device 60.

[0075] Alternatively, such a load carrier inspection device 1 can also comprise a rotating device or be assigned to such a rotating device in order to inspect all freely accessible surfaces, in particular the surface 101 and the side surfaces, from a single camera position and thus with only one camera. The inspection of the underside (102) can then be carried out, for example, by completely turning the load carrier 100 over and / or at least temporarily lifting or tilting the load carrier 100, for example, by 90° along a long side.

[0076] List of reference symbols

[0077] 1 load carrier control device

[0078] 30 Control device

[0079] 50 Control device

[0080] 51 Sensor device

[0081] 52 computing device

[0082] 53 computers

[0083] 54 Camera setup

[0084] 55 webcams

[0085] 56 Detection area

[0086] 60 conveyor system

[0087] 61 Interruption

[0088] 100 load carriers

[0089] 101 Top

[0090] 102 subpage

[0091] 103 pallets / Euro pallets

[0092] 104 blocks

[0093] 105 Latte

[0094] 106 splinters

[0095] 107 nails

Claims

Claims:

1. Load carrier control device (1) comprising at least one control device (50), wherein the control device (50) comprises at least one sensor device (51) and at least one computing device (52), characterized in that the computing device (52) is suitable and designed to check at least one quality feature of at least the upper side (101) of at least one empty load carrier (100) to be checked using the data acquired by the sensor device (51) using an evaluation based on at least one automated application, wherein the automated application comprises at least one AI application and / or at least one computer vision application.

2. Load carrier control device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control device (50) is operatively connected to at least one control device (30), wherein the evaluation of the automated application is transferable to the control device (30).

3. Load carrier control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor device (51) comprises at least one camera device (54).

4. Load carrier control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one conveyor device (60) for load carriers (100) to be controlled is included.

5. Load carrier control device (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the conveyor device (60) is at least partially and / or at least temporarily suitable for and is designed to release the underside (102) of the conveyed load carrier (100) for inspection.

6. Load carrier control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device (50) is suitable and designed to detect a protruding nail, a broken and / or splintered slat, a foreign body, a deformed and / or damaged surface and / or a missing component as a quality feature.

7. Method for operating a load carrier control device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device (50) uses the automated application to infer at least one quality feature of an empty load carrier (100) to be controlled based on the evaluation of the data from the sensor device (51) and to initiate a correspondingly predetermined action, the automated application comprising at least one Kl application and / or at least one computer vision application.

8. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the automated application checks the data online.

9. Method according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the automated application is trained and / or operates offline on the computing device.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 9, wherein the automated application is retrained.

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 10, wherein as a quality feature a protruding nail, a a broken and / or splintered slat, a foreign body, a deformed and / or damaged surface and / or a missing component is detected.

12. Use of an automated application comprising at least one Kl application and / or at least one computer vision application in the inspection of empty load carriers (100).

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