Cargo Door State Detection Using Luggage Compartment Color Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sensors installed around cargo-compartment doors are prone to durability and stability issues due to impact and restrict design freedom, limiting effective sensing of the open/closed state.
Innovation Solution
A sensing apparatus that acquires a color image of the cargo compartment and calculates a determination value based on pixel color information to determine the door's state, allowing stable sensing without direct installation around the door, and a loading rate estimation system that estimates the cargo volume when the door is closed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor is installed around the cargo-compartment door to detect the open/closed state, then the door state can be sensed, but the sensor and wire are susceptible to impact which deteriorates durability and stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing function from the physical door area and relocates it to the cab interior. The camera is installed in the cab rather than around the door, removing the sensor from the impact-prone zone while maintaining the ability to detect door state through image processing of the cargo compartment interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a camera and image processing algorithm. Instead of directly sensing the door state with a physical sensor near the door, the system uses a camera to capture images of the cargo compartment interior and determines door state indirectly through color information analysis, thereby protecting the sensing component from impact.
2Reliability
If a sensor is installed around the cargo-compartment door, then the door state can be sensed, but the design freedom around the door is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing function is extracted from the door perimeter area and relocated to the cab interior. This removal of the sensor from the door area restores design freedom around the door while maintaining the door state sensing capability through the relocated camera system.
3Measurement precision
If a sensor is installed around the cargo-compartment door, then the door state can be sensed directly, but the sensor location is limited and impacts durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary image processing system that analyzes color information from camera images to determine door state. This indirect sensing method through image analysis maintains measurement precision for door state detection while extending sensor service life by protecting the camera from impact in the cab interior.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor system with an optical system. Instead of using a physical sensor that directly contacts or near the door mechanism, the system uses a camera to capture optical images and processes color information to determine door state, substituting mechanical sensing with optical sensing to improve durability.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a detecting device and a loading ratio estimating system which are highly durable, with which it is possible for an open or closed state of a luggage compartment door to be stably detected, and with which a decrease in design freedom in the vicinity of the luggage compartment door can be suppressed. This detecting device includes: a calculating unit which acquires a color image of the interior of a luggage compartment provided with a door that is free to open and close, and which calculates a determination value on the basis of color information relating to a plurality of pixels included in the color image; and a determining unit which determines that the door is open if the determination value is greater than a predetermined threshold, and determines that the door is closed if the determination value is at most equal to the threshold.