Information scanning method, apparatus and system
By setting markers in the scanning area and using visual sensors to plan the path, the scanning device automatically travels along the target path, solving the problem that scanning devices in the prior art need to be moved manually, and realizing efficient scanning of cargo information in multiple channels.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NUCTECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-09
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, scanning devices can only automatically scan goods in one channel, requiring manual movement to another channel for scanning, resulting in low efficiency in scanning goods.
By setting multiple signs in the scanning area, including a first sign indicating a parking point and a second sign indicating the end of the passage, images are acquired using a visual sensor, the target path of the scanning device is planned, and it automatically travels along the predetermined path to continuously scan cargo information in multiple target passages.
It improves the efficiency of scanning goods, enabling the scanning equipment to automatically and continuously scan goods information in multiple channels, reducing manual intervention and improving operational efficiency.
Smart Images
Figure CN2025103507_09072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Information scanning methods, scanning devices and scanning systems
[0001] Cross-reference to related applications
[0002] This disclosure is based on and claims priority to Chinese application No. 202411976171.8, filed on December 30, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field
[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of information scanning technology, and in particular to an information scanning method, scanning device and scanning system. Background Technology
[0004] Currently, it is necessary to scan the goods placed in the yard to obtain information about them. Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for scanning information is provided, comprising: receiving a scanning instruction, the scanning instruction indicating multiple target channels to be scanned by a scanning device in multiple channels of a scanning area, the scanning area being provided with multiple markers, the multiple markers including a first marker indicating a parking point and a second marker indicating each of the two endpoints of each of the multiple channels, the first marker being different from the second marker; responding to the scanning instruction, determining the current parking point of the scanning device based on the first marker in an image acquired by a vision sensor installed on the scanning device; planning a target path based on the current parking point of the scanning device and the two endpoints of each target channel; and controlling the scanning device to depart from the current parking point, and controlling the scanning device to travel along the target path based on the second marker in the image during the movement of the scanning device, so that the scanning device scans information of goods stored in each target channel.
[0006] In some embodiments, controlling the scanning device to depart from the current parking point and, during the scanning device's movement, to travel along the target path based on the second marker in the image, so that the scanning device can scan information about the goods stored in each target channel includes: controlling the scanning device to travel from the current parking point along a first direction; during the scanning device's movement along the first direction, if the second marker of one endpoint of the first target channel appears in the image, then controlling the scanning device to turn to travel in a second direction extending from the first target channel, so that the scanning device can scan information about the goods stored in the first target channel, where the first target channel is any target channel; during the scanning device's movement along the second direction, if the second marker of the other endpoint of the first target channel appears in the image, then controlling the scanning device to turn to travel in the first direction.
[0007] In some embodiments, determining the current parking location of the scanning device based on the first marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device includes: extracting features from the image to obtain a first feature image of the first marker in the image; matching the first feature image with a feature image sequence to determine the number of the first marker in the image, wherein the feature image sequence includes a feature image of each of the plurality of markers, and each marker has its own corresponding number; and determining the current parking location of the scanning device in a topology map based on the number of the first marker in the image, wherein the topology map includes a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of markers, and each node is the number of the corresponding marker.
[0008] In some embodiments, planning a target path based on the current parking spot of the scanning device and the two endpoints of each target channel includes: converting the topology map into an adjacency matrix; and generating the target path based on the adjacency matrix.
[0009] In some embodiments, the second flags at both ends of each channel are the same, and the second flags of any two channels among the plurality of channels are different.
[0010] In some embodiments, the plurality of target channels includes all channels in the scanning area.
[0011] In some embodiments, the goods include a container, and the information of the goods includes at least one of an identifier of the container and information about the items inside the container.
[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an information scanning device is provided, including a module configured to perform the method described in any of the above embodiments.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an information scanning apparatus is provided, comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute the method described in any of the above embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory.
[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an information scanning system is provided, comprising: an information scanning device as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the scanning device includes a first vehicle body, a second vehicle body, and a boom connecting the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body; and a vision sensor, including a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first sensor is disposed on the front side of one of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body, and the second sensor is disposed on the rear side of the other vehicle body.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, including computer program instructions, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method described in any of the above embodiments.
[0016] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method described in any of the above embodiments.
[0017] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program is provided, wherein when executed by a processor, the computer program implements the method of any of the above embodiments.
[0018] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, by receiving a scanning instruction indicating multiple target channels that the scanning device needs to scan, and based on the image obtained by the visual sensor installed on the scanning device, combined with the first marker of the parking point in the scanning area and the second markers of the two endpoints of each channel in the scanning area, the target path of the scanning device is planned.
[0019] In this method, the scanning device can start from the current parking point and automatically travel along the pre-planned target path based on the second marker of the endpoint of the target channel in the image. As a result, the scanning device can continuously and automatically scan the information of the goods stored in multiple target channels that are expected to be scanned, thereby improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0020] The technical solutions of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description
[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0022] Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for scanning information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a scanning area according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a topology map according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of guide lines according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a scanning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a scanning device according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0028] Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of vision sensors according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0029] Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of vision sensors according to other embodiments of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0031] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this disclosure.
[0032] At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn according to actual scale.
[0033] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.
[0034] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.
[0035] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.
[0036] Furthermore, in the description of this disclosure, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or order. Similarly, although operations are depicted in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this should not be construed as requiring such operations to be performed in the specific order shown or in sequential order, or requiring the execution of all illustrated operations to achieve the desired result. In some cases, multitasking and parallel processing can be advantageous.
[0037] In related technologies, when goods are present in multiple channels, the scanning device can only automatically scan the goods in one channel. After scanning the goods in one channel, if it is necessary to scan the goods in another channel, the scanning device needs to be manually moved to that other channel so that it can scan the goods in that channel. This method results in low efficiency in scanning goods.
[0038] To address the aforementioned problems, the present disclosure proposes the following solutions.
[0039] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0040] Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for scanning information according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0041] In step 102, a scan command is received. Here, the scan command indicates multiple target channels that the scanning device needs to scan in the multiple channels of the scanning area. For example, the scan command can be sent by the user, that is, the scan command indicates multiple target channels that the user expects to scan.
[0042] In some implementations, the scanning area is a storage yard. Multiple target channels can be some or all of the channels in the scanning area.
[0043] As one implementation method, the scanning device is a mobile robot.
[0044] Here, multiple signs are set in the scanning area, including a first sign indicating a parking spot and a second sign indicating each of the two endpoints of each of the multiple lanes, and the first sign and the second sign are different.
[0045] By distinguishing between the first and second signs, it is possible to differentiate whether the current location of the scanning device is a parking spot or the end of a passage. The first and second signs may each include at least one of numbers and letters. As some implementations, the first sign may be a number, and the second sign may be a letter.
[0046] Next, the layout of the scanning area will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the scanning area 200 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, the scanning area 200 has three channels schematically illustrated: channel 202, channel 203, and channel 204. Each channel contains goods 205. Goods 205 may include, for example, containers and / or vehicles, with containers mounted on vehicles.
[0048] It should be understood that the number of channels in the scanning area 200 is not limited to this, and whether goods 205 are placed in each channel depends on the actual situation.
[0049] As one implementation, a parking point is provided in the scanning area 200. For example, any one of four parking points, namely parking point 2001a, parking point 2002a, parking point 2003a, and parking point 2004a, may be provided in the scanning area 200. The four parking points may be located on the periphery of multiple lanes. For example, the four parking points may form a rectangle, that is, the four parking points are the four endpoints of the rectangle.
[0050] For example, the first sign 2001b indicating parking point 2001a can be represented by the number "1". Similarly, the first sign 2002b indicating parking point 2002a can be represented by the number "2", the first sign 2003b indicating parking point 2003a can be represented by the number "3", and the first sign 2004b indicating parking point 2004a can be represented by the number "4".
[0051] As one implementation, the scanning area 200 can be configured with multiple parking spots. For example, any two, any three, or all of parking spots 2001a, 2002a, 2003a, and 2004a can be configured.
[0052] The scanning area 200 is also provided with a second mark 2021b indicating the endpoint 2021a of the channel 202 and a second mark 2022b indicating the endpoint 2022a of the channel 202. For example, both the second mark 2021b and the second mark 2022b are represented by the letter "A".
[0053] Similarly, the scanning area 200 is also provided with a second mark 2031b indicating the endpoint 2031a of the channel 203, a second mark 2032b indicating the endpoint 2032a of the channel 203, a second mark 2041b indicating the endpoint 2041a of the channel 204, and a second mark 2042b indicating the endpoint 2042a of the channel 204.
[0054] For example, both the second mark 2031b and the second mark 2032b are represented by the letter "B"; and for another example, both the second mark 2041b and the second mark 2042b are represented by the letter "C".
[0055] In some embodiments, the first mark 2001b, the second mark 2022b, the second mark 2032b, the second mark 2042b and the first mark 2002b are located on the same straight line, and the first mark 2004b, the second mark 2021b, the second mark 2031b, the second mark 2041b and the first mark 2003b are located on the same straight line.
[0056] In step 104, in response to the scanning command, the current parking spot of the scanning device is determined based on the first marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device. If multiple parking spots are set in the scanning area 200, the current parking spot of the scanning device can be determined based on which first marker is present in the image acquired by the vision sensor.
[0057] In some embodiments, the scanning device is parked at a parking spot. This allows the first marker to be present in the image initially acquired by the visual sensor mounted on the scanning device, thus quickly determining the current parking spot where the scanning device is located.
[0058] Next, we will briefly describe the situation where the scanning equipment is parked at the parking spot, referring to Figure 2.
[0059] As one implementation, as shown in FIG2, in response to a scanning command, the current parking point of the scanning device 201 can be determined as parking point 2004a based on the first mark 2004b in the image acquired by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device 201.
[0060] In some embodiments, the scanning device 201 is not stationary at the parking spot. In this case, in response to a scanning command, the scanning device 201 can be controlled to move until a first marker appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor. This allows the current parking spot of the scanning device 201 to be determined, thereby facilitating subsequent planning of a target path based on the current parking spot of the scanning device 201.
[0061] In step 106, the target path is planned based on the current parking point of the scanning device 201 and the two endpoints of each target channel.
[0062] It should be understood that the starting point of the target path is the parking point where the scanning device 201 is currently located, and the target path starts from this starting point and passes through each target channel in sequence.
[0063] As one implementation, when there are multiple paths that allow the scanning device 201 to pass through each target channel, the target path is the shortest of these multiple paths.
[0064] As one implementation method, as shown in Figure 2, a target path can be planned based on parking point 2004a, endpoint 2021a, endpoint 2031a, endpoint 2041a, endpoint 2022a, endpoint 2032a and endpoint 2042a.
[0065] For example, if the scanning instruction indicates that the multiple target channels to be scanned are channel 202 and channel 203, the target path may sequentially include parking point 2004a, endpoint 2021a, endpoint 2022a, endpoint 2032a, and endpoint 2031a.
[0066] In step 108, the scanning device 201 is controlled to start from the current parking point, and during the movement of the scanning device 201, the scanning device 201 is controlled to travel along the target path according to the second mark in the image obtained by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device 201, so that the scanning device 201 can scan the information of the goods stored in each target channel.
[0067] As one implementation, as shown in FIG2, when the scanning command indicates that the multiple target channels to be scanned are channel 202 and channel 203, if the mark in the image acquired by the visual sensor after the scanning device 201 departs from the parking point 2004a is the second mark 2021b, then the scanning device 201 is controlled to pass through channel 202; then, if the mark in the image acquired by the visual sensor during the movement of the scanning device 201 is the second mark 2022b, then the scanning device 201 is controlled to move towards the end point 2032a of channel 203, and so on.
[0068] In some embodiments, when the goods include a vehicle, the information about the goods includes the vehicle's identification, such as the vehicle's license plate number. In some implementations, when the goods include a container, the information about the goods includes the container's identification, such as the container number. Thus, the information about the goods can be scanned, which helps to understand the condition of the goods and facilitates their management.
[0069] In some embodiments, the scanning includes X-ray scanning, and the cargo information also includes information about the items inside the container. This allows for scanning not only the surface of the cargo but also information about its interior, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the cargo's condition and helping to identify potential security risks.
[0070] In the above embodiments, by receiving scanning instructions that indicate multiple target channels that the scanning device 201 needs to scan, and based on the images obtained by the vision sensors installed on the scanning device 201, combined with the first marker of the parking point in the scanning area 200 and the second markers of the two endpoints of each channel in the scanning area 200, the target path of the scanning device 201 is planned.
[0071] In this way, the scanning device 201 can start from the current parking point and automatically travel along the pre-planned target path according to the second mark of the endpoint of the target channel in the image. Thus, the scanning device 201 can continuously and automatically scan the information of the goods stored in multiple target channels that are expected to be scanned, thereby improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0072] In some embodiments, the multiple target channels include all channels in the scanning area 200. For example, upon receiving a scanning instruction, the multiple target channels to be scanned can be assumed to be all channels in the scanning area 200. In this way, the scanning device 201 can start from its current parking point and automatically travel along a pre-planned target path based on the second marker of the endpoint of each channel in the image. Consequently, the scanning device 201 can continuously scan the information of the goods stored in all channels, improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0073] In some embodiments, the scanning device is controlled to travel from its current parking location in a first direction.
[0074] Here, as the scanning device travels along the first direction, if a second marker appears at one end of the first target channel in the image acquired by the vision sensor, the scanning device is controlled to turn and travel in the second direction extending from the first target channel, so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the first target channel. Here, the first target channel can be any target channel.
[0075] As one implementation, when the scanning device travels in a second direction extending from the first target channel, the wheels of the scanning device can be turned at a preset angle to travel along the second direction. For example, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and the preset angle is, for example, 90 degrees.
[0076] If a second marker at the other end of the first target channel appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor while the scanning device is traveling in the second direction, the scanning device is controlled to turn and travel in the first direction.
[0077] As one implementation, when the scanning device turns from the second direction to the first direction, the wheels of the scanning device can turn at a preset angle in the opposite direction to the direction when turning to the second direction, so as to resume travel along the first direction.
[0078] It should be understood that the first direction includes two sub-directions facing opposite directions, and the second direction includes two sub-directions facing opposite directions.
[0079] Next, referring to Figure 2, we will describe the specific process of the scanning device traveling along the target path. Here, the first direction X includes sub-directions X1 and X2, and the second direction Y includes sub-directions Y1 and Y2.
[0080] As some implementations, when the current parking point of the scanning device 201 is parking point 2004a and the multiple target channels to be scanned are channel 202 and channel 203, the first target channels are channel 202 and channel 203 in sequence, and the scanning device 201 travels from the current parking point 2004a along the sub-direction X1.
[0081] If a second marker 2021b of the endpoint 2021a of the channel 202 appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor during the movement of the scanning device 201 along the sub-direction X1, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn to the sub-direction Y1 so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the channel 202.
[0082] If a second marker 2022b of the other end point 2022a of channel 202 appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor while the scanning device 201 is traveling along the sub-direction Y1, the scanning device is controlled to turn and travel in the sub-direction X1.
[0083] During the movement of the scanning device 201 along the sub-direction X1, if the second mark 2032b of the endpoint 2032a of the channel 203 appears in the image acquired by the vision sensor, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn to the sub-direction Y2 so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the channel 203.
[0084] In some other implementations, when the current parking point of the scanning device 201 is parking point 2002a and the multiple target channels to be scanned indicated by the scanning command are channel 203 and channel 204, the first target channels are channel 204 and channel 203 in sequence, and the scanning device 201 travels from the current parking point 2002a along the sub-direction X2.
[0085] If a second marker 2042b of the endpoint 2042a of the channel 204 appears in the image acquired by the vision sensor during the movement of the scanning device 201 along the sub-direction X2, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn to the sub-direction Y2 so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the channel 204.
[0086] If a second marker 2041b of the other end point 2041a of channel 204 appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor while the scanning device 201 is traveling along the sub-direction Y2, the scanning device is controlled to turn and travel in the sub-direction X2.
[0087] If a second marker 2031b of the endpoint 2031a of the channel 203 appears in the image acquired by the visual sensor during the movement of the scanning device 201 along the sub-direction X2, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn to the sub-direction Y1 so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the channel 203.
[0088] In the above embodiments, based on the second marker of the target channel in the image obtained by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device, the scanning device is cyclically controlled to travel in the corresponding direction, thereby enabling the scanning device to automatically travel along the pre-planned target path. As a result, the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in all the target channels to be scanned, thereby improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0089] The endpoint and starting point of the target path can be the same or different. The following explanation will illustrate this with different implementation examples.
[0090] In some embodiments, the end point of the target path is the start point of the target path. That is, after the scanning device has scanned all target channels, it can return to the parking point where the scanning device was initially located.
[0091] Thus, upon receiving the next scanning command, the image acquired by the vision sensor can contain the first marker, thereby enabling the scanning device to determine its current parking location more quickly and improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0092] In other embodiments, when multiple parking spots are provided in the scanning area 200, the endpoint of the target path is another parking spot that is different from the parking spot corresponding to the starting point. For example, the endpoint of the target path is the parking spot closest to the scanning device after the scanning device has scanned all target channels.
[0093] As one implementation method, as shown in Figure 2, the starting point of the target path is parking point 2004a, and the scanning area 200 is also provided with parking point 2003a.
[0094] When the scanning command indicates that the multiple target channels to be scanned are channel 202 and channel 204, the scanning device 201 can start from parking point 2004a, pass through endpoint 2021a, endpoint 2022a, endpoint 2042a, and endpoint 2041a in sequence, and finally reach parking point 2003a.
[0095] Thus, on the one hand, upon receiving the next scanning instruction, the image acquired by the vision sensor at the very beginning can contain the first marker indicating the parking point, thereby enabling the scanning device to determine its current parking point more quickly and improving the efficiency of scanning goods; on the other hand, after the scanning device has scanned all target channels, the path length of the scanning device can be shortened, allowing the scanning device to be parked more quickly and reducing the operating wear and tear on the scanning device.
[0096] In some embodiments, the current parking location of the scanning device can be determined in the following manner.
[0097] First, feature extraction is performed on the image acquired by the visual sensor installed on the scanning device to obtain the feature image of the first mark in the image (hereinafter referred to as the first feature image).
[0098] Then, the first feature image is matched with the feature image sequence to determine the number of the first marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor. Here, the feature image sequence includes the feature image of each of the multiple markers set in the scanning area 200, and each marker has its own corresponding number.
[0099] As one implementation, before the scanning device operates, images containing multiple markers set in the scanning area 200 can be collected, and feature extraction can be performed on the image of each marker to obtain a feature image sequence including feature images of each marker. It should be understood that the method of feature extraction of the images is not limited here, as long as the feature image of each marker can be extracted.
[0100] Then, based on the number of the first marker in the image acquired by the visual sensor, the current parking spot of the scanning device is determined in the topology map.
[0101] Here, the topology map includes multiple nodes corresponding to multiple markers set in the scan area 200, with each node being a number corresponding to the marker. It should be understood that one node corresponds to one marker, and different markers have different numbers.
[0102] Next, we will explain how to determine the current parking spot of the scanning device, referring to Figures 2 and 3.
[0103] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a topology map according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Here, the topology map shown in Figure 3 is the topology map of the scan area 200 shown in Figure 2. The topology map is, for example, an undirected topology map.
[0104] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 3, the topology map includes nodes numbered V0 to V9. Hereinafter, the node numbered V0 will be simply referred to as node V0, and the other nodes will be treated similarly.
[0105] Here, node V0 corresponds to the first marker 2001b in Figure 2, node V4 corresponds to the first marker 2002b, node V5 corresponds to the first marker 2003b, and node V9 corresponds to the first marker 2004b.
[0106] Similarly, node V1 corresponds to the second flag 2022b, node V2 corresponds to the second flag 2032b, node V3 corresponds to the second flag 2042b, node V6 corresponds to the second flag 2041b, node V7 corresponds to the second flag 2031b, and node V8 corresponds to the second flag 2021b.
[0107] The connection between node V1 and node V8 represents channel 202, the connection between node V2 and node V7 represents channel 203, and the connection between node V3 and node V6 represents channel 204.
[0108] As one implementation, feature extraction is performed on the image acquired by the visual sensor installed on the scanning device 201, and the extracted first feature image is matched with the feature image sequence. If the extracted first feature image is the same as the feature image of the first mark 2004b in the feature image sequence, the first mark in the image acquired by the visual sensor is determined to be the first mark 2004b with the number V9.
[0109] Based on the number V9 of the first marker 2004b, the node corresponding to the current parking point of the scanning device 201 in the topology map is determined as node V9, that is, the current parking point is parking point 2004. a .
[0110] In the above embodiments, features of the first marker in the image acquired by the visual sensor are extracted to obtain a first feature image. Based on the matching relationship between the first feature image and the feature image sequence, the number of the first marker in the image acquired by the visual sensor is determined. Then, the correspondence between these numbers is used to map the current parking point of the scanning device in the scanning area 200 to nodes in the topology map. In this way, the current parking point of the scanning device can be accurately determined in the topology map, which helps to accurately plan the target path subsequently, thereby improving the efficiency of the scanning device in scanning goods.
[0111] In some embodiments, the topology map is converted into an adjacency matrix, and a target path is generated based on the adjacency matrix. As some implementations, computer graph theory can be used to convert the topology map into an adjacency matrix.
[0112] Next, adjacency matrices according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG3.
[0113] As some implementations, in Figure 3, the weight of the line connecting two adjacent nodes between nodes V0 and V4 is 1, the weight of the line connecting two adjacent nodes between nodes V9 and V5 is 3, the weight of the line connecting nodes V1 and V8 is 2, the weight of the line connecting nodes V2 and V7 is 2, and the weight of the line connecting nodes V3 and V6 is 2.
[0114] By combining the weights of the connections, the interconnection relationships between nodes in Figure 3 are converted into an adjacency matrix. The adjacency matrix is shown below.
[0115] {0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
[0116] {1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0}
[0117] {0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0}
[0118] {0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0}
[0119] {0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
[0120] {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 0, 0}
[0121] {0, 0, 0, 2, 0, 3, 0, 3, 0, 0}
[0122] {0, 0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 3, 0}
[0123] {0, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0, 3}
[0124] {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 0}
[0125] Here, the first row of the adjacency matrix represents the interconnection relationship between node V0 and each other, the second row represents the interconnection relationship between node V1 and each other, the third row represents the interconnection relationship between node V2 and each other, and so on.
[0126] The first column of the adjacency matrix represents the interconnection relationship between node V0 and all other nodes, the second column represents the interconnection relationship between node V1 and all other nodes, the third column represents the interconnection relationship between node V2 and all other nodes, and so on.
[0127] For example, the number "0" in the first row and first column of the adjacency matrix indicates that there is no interconnection between nodes V0 and V0.
[0128] For example, the number "1" in the first row and second column of the adjacency matrix indicates that there is an interconnection relationship with a weight of 1 between node V0 and node V1.
[0129] As one implementation method, the adjacency matrix can be generated using a path planning algorithm. An example of such a algorithm is Dijkstra's algorithm.
[0130] In the above embodiments, using a programming language such as adjacency matrix to describe the interconnection relationship between nodes in the topology map helps to quickly generate target paths using program algorithms, further improving the efficiency of scanning equipment in scanning goods.
[0131] In some embodiments, features can be extracted from the image acquired by the visual sensor installed on the scanning device to obtain a second feature image of the second mark in the image, and the second feature image can be matched with a feature image sequence to determine the number of the second mark in the image acquired by the visual sensor.
[0132] Based on the number of the second marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor and the number of the second marker in any one of the multiple target channels that the scanning device needs to scan, determine in the topology map whether the channel corresponding to the second marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor is a target channel.
[0133] As one implementation method, as shown in FIG2, it is assumed that multiple target channels include channel 202.
[0134] In this case, feature extraction is performed on the image acquired by the visual sensor installed on the scanning device 201. The extracted second feature image is matched with the feature image sequence. If the extracted second feature image is the same as the feature image of the second mark 2021b in the feature image sequence, the channel corresponding to the second mark in the image acquired by the visual sensor is determined to be the channel 202 corresponding to the second mark 2021b, i.e., the target channel.
[0135] In the above embodiments, it is possible to accurately determine whether the channel corresponding to the second marker in the image acquired by the visual sensor is the target channel in the topology map, which helps to accurately guide the scanning device 201 to travel along the target path, thereby improving the efficiency of the scanning device in scanning goods.
[0136] In some embodiments, the second markers at the two endpoints of each channel are different, and the second markers of any two channels in the multiple channels of the scan area 200 are different.
[0137] In this way, it is possible not only to accurately determine whether the channel corresponding to the second marker in the image acquired by the visual sensor is the target channel in the topology map, but also to determine the node where the scanning device is currently located in the topology map, which helps to realize the positioning of the scanning device.
[0138] In other embodiments, the second markers at the two endpoints of each channel are the same, and the second markers of any two channels in the multiple channels of the scan area 200 are different.
[0139] As some implementations, as shown in FIG2, the second mark 2021b of the indicator endpoint 2021a and the second mark 2022b of the indicator endpoint 2022a of channel 202 are both represented by the letter “A”, the second mark 2031b of the indicator endpoint 2031a and the second mark 2032b of the indicator endpoint 2032a of channel 203 are both represented by the letter “B”, and the second mark 2041b of the indicator endpoint 2041a and the second mark 2042b of the indicator endpoint 2042a of channel 204 are both represented by the letter “C”.
[0140] In this way, the number of feature images in the feature image sequence can be reduced, the matching speed of the second feature image can be accelerated, and the channel corresponding to the second mark in the image acquired by the vision sensor can be quickly determined as the target channel. This helps to quickly make the scanning device 201 travel along the target path and further improve the efficiency of the scanning device in scanning goods.
[0141] In some embodiments, the images acquired by the vision sensor come from a first sensor and a second sensor. It should be understood that both the first and second sensors are vision sensors. Here, the first sensor acquires an image in one sub-direction of the second direction, and the second sensor acquires an image in another sub-direction opposite to that sub-direction. A predetermined distance exists between each second marker and its corresponding channel to allow the scanning device to pass through.
[0142] It should be understood that the images acquired by the first sensor and the images acquired by the second sensor will not both contain the second label.
[0143] As one implementation, as shown in FIG2, the first sensor acquires an image in sub-direction Y2, and the second sensor acquires an image in sub-direction Y1.
[0144] In the case of multiple target channels including channel 202, the scanning device 201 travels along sub-direction X1. If a second mark represented by the letter "A" appears in the image of the first sensor, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn and travel in sub-direction Y1.
[0145] If the second marker represented by the letter "A" appears in the image of the second sensor while the scanning device 201 is traveling along the sub-direction Y1, the scanning device 201 is controlled to turn and travel in the sub-direction X1.
[0146] This method can shorten the travel distance between the two ends of each target channel, allowing the scanning device to scan the next target channel more quickly after scanning one, which helps improve the efficiency of the scanning device in scanning goods.
[0147] In some embodiments, the endpoint where the scanning device is currently located can be determined by determining the number of the second marker in the image acquired by the first sensor or the number of the second marker in the image acquired by the second sensor.
[0148] As one implementation, when multiple target channels include channel 202, the scanning device 201 travels along the sub-direction X1, extracts features from the image acquired by the first sensor to obtain a second feature image of the second mark in the image, and matches the second feature image with the feature image sequence to determine the number of the second mark in the image acquired by the first sensor.
[0149] Here, since the first sensor acquires the image in the sub-direction Y2, it can be determined that the second marker in the image acquired by the first sensor is the second marker 2021b in the sub-direction Y2, and thus the number of the second marker in the image acquired by the first sensor is determined to be V8.
[0150] In this way, not only can the number of feature images in the feature image sequence be reduced and the matching speed of the second feature image be accelerated, but the current node of the scanning device can also be determined in the topology map, which helps to realize the positioning of the scanning device.
[0151] In some embodiments, the scanning area 200 is further provided with guide lines for guiding the scanning device to travel along a first direction and a second direction, and the scanning device can travel along the guide lines in the image acquired by the vision sensor.
[0152] Next, we will explain how the scanning device travels along the guide lines, referring to Figure 4.
[0153] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of guide lines according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Here, as shown in Figure 4, L1 is a guide line.
[0154] As one implementation method, the slope and intercept of the guide line in the image acquired by the vision sensor in the corresponding coordinate system can be determined, and the angle of the wheels of the scanning device can be adjusted according to the slope and intercept so that the scanning device travels along the guide line. For example, the coordinate system can be established with the upper left corner of the image as the origin, the upper edge of the image as the horizontal axis, and the left edge of the image as the vertical axis.
[0155] For example, the slope and intercept of the guide line in the image can be obtained by fitting using the least squares method, and the angle of the wheel can be calculated based on the slope and intercept.
[0156] In this way, the scanning equipment can move accurately along the first and second directions according to the guide lines, thereby accurately moving to the target channel to scan the goods and improving the efficiency of scanning goods.
[0157] In the above embodiments, after the user sends a scanning command through the interactive interface, the current parking point of the scanning device is determined according to the first mark in the image obtained by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device, and the scanning device is controlled to move along the first direction (e.g., lateral movement).
[0158] If a second marker at one end of the target channel appears in the image acquired by the vision sensor while the scanning device is moving in the first direction, the scanning device is controlled to move in the second direction (e.g., vertically).
[0159] During operation, the scanning equipment can travel in either a first or second direction based on ground guide lines, allowing it to scan the information of goods stored in each target channel. After completing a scan of one target channel, the equipment moves to the next and repeats the process. This cycle is maintained, scanning multiple target channels to complete the scanning of goods information in all channels.
[0160] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. For the apparatus embodiments, since they largely correspond to the method embodiments, the descriptions are relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.
[0161] In some embodiments, the information scanning device includes a module for performing the method of any of the above embodiments.
[0162] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a scanning device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0163] As shown in Figure 5, the information scanning device includes a receiving module 501, a determining module 502, a planning module 503, and a control module 504.
[0164] The receiving module 501 is configured to receive scanning instructions. Here, the scanning instructions indicate multiple target channels that the scanning device needs to scan in multiple channels of the scanning area 200. Multiple markers are provided in the scanning area 200, including a first marker indicating a parking point and a second marker indicating each of the two endpoints of each of the multiple channels. The first marker and the second marker are different.
[0165] The determination module 502 is configured to determine the current parking point of the scanning device in response to a scanning command, based on a first marker in an image acquired by a vision sensor installed on the scanning device.
[0166] The planning module 503 is configured to plan the target path based on the current parking spot of the scanning device and the two endpoints of each target lane.
[0167] The control module 504 is configured to control the scanning device to start from the current parking point and, during the scanning device's journey, to control the scanning device to travel along the target path according to the second marker in the image, so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in each target channel.
[0168] In some embodiments, the control module 504 is configured to control the scanning device to travel from the current parking point along a first direction; if a second marker of one end of a first target channel appears in the image while the scanning device is traveling along the first direction, the control module 504 controls the scanning device to turn to travel in a second direction extending from the first target channel so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the first target channel, where the first target channel is any target channel; if a second marker of the other end of the first target channel appears in the image while the scanning device is traveling along the second direction, the control module 504 controls the scanning device to turn to travel in the first direction.
[0169] In some embodiments, the determining module 502 is configured to perform feature extraction on the image to obtain a first feature image of a first sign in the image; match the first feature image with a feature image sequence to determine the number of the first sign in the image, wherein the feature image sequence includes a feature image of each of a plurality of signs, each sign having its own corresponding number; and determine the parking point where the scanning device is currently located in a topology map based on the number of the first sign in the image, wherein the topology map includes a plurality of nodes corresponding to the plurality of signs, each node being the number of the corresponding sign.
[0170] In some embodiments, the planning module 503 is configured to convert the topology map into an adjacency matrix; and generate a target path based on the adjacency matrix.
[0171] In some embodiments, the second flags at the two endpoints of each channel are the same, and the second flags of any two channels in a plurality of channels are different.
[0172] In some embodiments, multiple target channels include all channels in the scan area.
[0173] In some embodiments, the goods include a container, and the information of the goods includes at least one of an identifier for the container and information about the items inside the container.
[0174] In some embodiments, the information scanning device may further include other modules to perform the information scanning method of any of the above embodiments.
[0175] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a scanning device according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0176] As shown in FIG6, the information scanning device 600 includes a memory 601 and a processor 602 coupled to the memory 601. The processor 602 is configured to execute the method of any of the foregoing embodiments based on instructions stored in the memory 601.
[0177] The memory 601 may include, for example, system memory, fixed non-volatile storage media, etc. The system memory may store, for example, an operating system, application programs, a boot loader, and other programs.
[0178] In some embodiments, the information scanning device 600 may further include an input / output interface 603, a network interface 604, and a storage interface 605. The input / output interface 603, network interface 604, and storage interface 605, as well as the memory 601 and processor 602, can be connected, for example, via a bus 606. The input / output interface 603 provides a connection interface for input / output devices such as a display, mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen. The network interface 604 provides a connection interface for various networked devices. The storage interface 605 provides a connection interface for external storage devices such as SD cards and USB flash drives.
[0179] This disclosure also provides an information scanning system, including the information scanning device and visual sensor of any of the above embodiments.
[0180] Figure 7A is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of visual sensors according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and Figure 7B is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of visual sensors according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0181] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the scanning device includes a first vehicle body 701, a second vehicle body 702, and an arm 703 connecting the first vehicle body 701 and the second vehicle body 702. The visual sensors include a first sensor 704 and a second sensor 705. The first sensor 704 is disposed on the front side of one of the vehicle bodies 701 and 702, and the second sensor 705 is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body on which the first sensor 704 is disposed. It should be understood that the front and rear sides of the vehicle body are opposite sides. Thus, using visual sensors can reduce the construction cost of the information scanning system.
[0182] In some embodiments, the vision sensor can be mounted above the wheel at a height equal to the braking distance. This mounting of the vision sensor above the wheel at the braking distance helps to combine the sensor's detection range with the ability of the scanning device to stop precisely at the end of the target channel when braking, thereby accurately moving to the target channel to scan the goods and improving the efficiency of goods scanning.
[0183] In some embodiments, the scanning device is further equipped with at least one scanner to scan information about the goods. For example, an X-ray scanner.
[0184] As some implementations, at least one of the boom 703, the first vehicle body 701, and the second vehicle body 702 is equipped with at least one scanner.
[0185] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium including computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method in any of the above embodiments.
[0186] This disclosure also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method in any of the above embodiments.
[0187] This disclosure also provides a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method of any of the above embodiments.
[0188] The embodiments of this disclosure have now been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.
[0189] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this disclosure can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this disclosure can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this disclosure can take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable non-transitory storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.
[0190] This disclosure is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that the functions specified in one or more flowchart illustrations and / or one or more block diagrams can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowchart illustrations and / or one or more block diagrams.
[0191] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.
[0192] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions, which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus, provide steps for implementing the functions specified in one or more flowcharts and / or one or more block diagrams.
[0193] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A method for scanning information, comprising: The device receives a scanning instruction, which instructs the scanning device to scan multiple target channels in a scanning area. The scanning area is provided with multiple markers, including a first marker indicating a parking point and a second marker indicating each of the two endpoints of each of the multiple channels. The first marker and the second marker are different. In response to the scanning command, the current parking location of the scanning device is determined based on the first marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device; Based on the current parking spot where the scanning device is located and the two endpoints of each target channel, plan the target path; as well as The scanning device is controlled to start from the current parking point, and during its travel, it is controlled to travel along the target path according to the second mark in the image, so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in each target channel.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The control of the scanning device to start from the current parking point and, during the scanning device's movement, to travel along the target path based on the second marker in the image, to scan information about the goods stored in each target channel includes: Control the scanning device to move from the current parking point along the first direction; During the process of the scanning device traveling along the first direction, if the second mark of one end of the first target channel appears in the image, the scanning device is controlled to turn to travel in the second direction extending from the first target channel, so that the scanning device can scan the information of the goods stored in the first target channel, where the first target channel is any target channel. If the second marker at the other end of the first target channel appears in the image while the scanning device is traveling in the second direction, the scanning device is controlled to turn and travel in the first direction.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Determining the current parking location of the scanning device based on the first marker in the image acquired by the vision sensor installed on the scanning device includes: Feature extraction is performed on the image to obtain a first feature image of the first symbol in the image; The first feature image is matched with the feature image sequence to determine the number of the first marker in the image, wherein the feature image sequence includes the feature image of each of the plurality of markers, and each marker has its own corresponding number; Based on the number of the first marker in the image, the current parking spot of the scanning device is determined in the topology map, wherein the topology map includes multiple nodes corresponding to the multiple markers, and each node is the number of the corresponding marker.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The step of planning the target path based on the current parking spot of the scanning device and the two endpoints of each target channel includes: Convert the topology map into an adjacency matrix; The target path is generated based on the adjacency matrix.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, The second flag is the same at both ends of each channel, and the second flag is different for any two channels among the plurality of channels.
6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The multiple target channels include all channels in the scanning area.
7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The goods include a container, and the information of the goods includes at least one of the identifier of the container and information about the items inside the container.
8. An information scanning device, comprising: A module configured to perform the method described in any one of claims 1-7.
9. An information scanning device, comprising: Memory; as well as A processor coupled to the memory is configured to execute the method of any one of claims 1-7 based on instructions stored in the memory.
10. An information scanning system, comprising: The information scanning device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the scanning device includes a first vehicle body, a second vehicle body, and a boom connecting the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body; and The vision sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is disposed on the front side of one of the first vehicle body and the second vehicle body, and the second sensor is disposed on the rear side of the first vehicle body.
11. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a computer program, wherein, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1-7.
12. A computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1-7.
13. A computer program, wherein, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the method described in any one of claims 1-7.