Asynchronous Container Imaging With Buffered Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging systems in conveyance lines face varying imaging quality due to object-dependent distances and network-related errors, leading to unreliable performance and susceptibility to faults.
Innovation Solution
Implement asynchronous image capture and error tracking with heartbeat tracking mechanisms to monitor connections, buffer imaging tasks during connection loss, and initiate conveyance line operations, ensuring continuous verification and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the imaging system communicates with remote systems over a network to facilitate imaging tasks, then the functionality and verification capability are improved, but the system becomes susceptible to network errors and connection faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a local buffer as an intermediary between the imaging system and remote systems. When network connection is available, images are captured and buffered locally; when connection is lost, the local buffer continues to operate independently, preventing network errors from directly impacting imaging operations. This mediator layer isolates the system from network faults while maintaining verification functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements error tracking and buffering mechanisms in advance before network errors occur. By pre-buffering imaging tasks and implementing heartbeat monitoring, the system prepares cushioning measures that allow continuous operation during connection loss, thereby protecting against reliability degradation when network issues arise.
2Productivity
If the imaging system performs continuous image-based validations in conveyance lines, then the verification throughput is improved, but the system is more susceptible to network-related errors and faults
Solution Approach 1:
The local buffer acts as a mediator that decouples the high-throughput imaging operations from network-dependent verification. Images can be captured and buffered continuously at high speed, while verification with remote systems occurs asynchronously, preventing network errors from disrupting the continuous verification throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous imaging and buffering operations regardless of network status. By implementing asynchronous verification where the local buffer can operate independently during connection loss, the useful action of image capture and verification continues uninterrupted, maintaining productivity while isolating network-related errors.
3Reliability
If the imaging system buffers imaging tasks during connection loss, then the reliability and continuous operation are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The local buffer serves as a relatively simple intermediary component that provides sophisticated error tolerance functionality. Rather than implementing complex error recovery protocols, the system uses a straightforward buffering mechanism that automatically maintains operation during connection loss, achieving high reliability with minimal added complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system performs self-service by maintaining its own local buffer and heartbeat monitoring independently of remote systems. This self-contained approach to error handling allows the system to manage its own reliability without requiring complex external coordination or control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide an asynchronous imaging technique. The asynchronous imaging technique may include identifying, from a local object queue buffer including a portion of container data from a remote system, a queued container data object that corresponds to a container located on a conveyance line. In addition, the process may include generating, using an imaging device, an imaging response for the container and a verification event for the container based on the imaging response. The process may listen for a heartbeat and identify a heartbeat anomaly with the remote system. In response to the heartbeat anomaly, the imaging system may generate a connection loss alarm tag, store the verification event in a local image buffer with the connection loss alarm tag, and initiating one or more conveyance line operation instructions based on a position of the queued container data object within the local object queue buffer.