Photogrammetry Models for Package Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tracking systems for package delivery do not effectively assess damage to products during transit, making it difficult to determine liability and leading to revenue loss for retailers and poor customer experience.
Innovation Solution
A method using photogrammetry models created from electronic images at different stages of delivery, compared using a cognitive system, with the results recorded on a blockchain ledger to detect damage and identify responsible parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional tracking systems are used, then package location can be monitored, but product damage assessment capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy (photogrammetry model) of the physical product at multiple stages of delivery. These 3D digital models capture the product's appearance and condition, allowing for precise damage assessment without physically handling the actual product. The digital copies are stored on the blockchain, enabling accurate comparison between different time points to detect damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and physical handling of products with an automated photogrammetry system. The system uses electronic images captured at different stages, processes them through photogrammetry algorithms to generate 3D models, and compares these models automatically to detect damage, eliminating the need for manual mechanical inspection processes.
2Measurement precision
If photogrammetry models are created and compared, then damage detection accuracy improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates photogrammetry models at multiple intermediate stages of delivery (not just at the beginning and end). By capturing the product's condition at these preliminary stages and storing them on the blockchain, the system can quickly compare only the relevant changes between stages rather than analyzing the entire delivery process from scratch, reducing processing time while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts key visual features and geometric characteristics from the full photogrammetry models to create a condensed representation for comparison. Instead of comparing entire 3D models pixel-by-pixel, the system extracts salient features such as surface geometry, color patterns, and structural characteristics, which significantly reduces computational requirements and processing time while maintaining damage detection accuracy.
3Reliability
If blockchain technology is used to record photogrammetry models, then data integrity and liability determination improve, but system complexity and implementation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital copy of the photogrammetry model data and stores it on the blockchain. This digital copy serves as an immutable record of the product's condition at specific times, providing tamper-proof evidence for liability determination. The blockchain stores hashed versions of the model data, ensuring integrity without requiring storage of the complete original data everywhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third-party service that acts as an intermediary between the delivery companies and the blockchain. This service handles the complex tasks of capturing images, generating photogrammetry models, and interfacing with the blockchain, thereby reducing the implementation complexity for the main delivery system while still achieving data integrity through blockchain technology.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Accurately assesses product condition throughout the delivery process, providing a tamper-proof record to determine damage and assign liability, thereby preventing revenue loss and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
generating a baseline photogrammetry model of the product based on the one or more baseline electronic images, receiving one or more recipient electronic images of the product created after delivery of the product to the recipient, generating a recipient photogrammetry model of the product based on the one or more recipient electronic images
Data Source
AI summary
In order to detect possible damage to a delivered product, a set of first images of the product is created prior to delivery which are used to generate a first 3D photogrammetry model, and a set of second electronic images are created after delivery which are used to generate a second 3D photogrammetry model. The two models are then compared to determine whether there is a sufficient deviation to conclude the product has been damaged. The comparison is performed by a cognitive system trained with samples of before/after photogrammetry model pairs each associated with either a damaged condition or a not damaged condition. The baseline photogrammetry model is part of a blockchain record and the recipient photogrammetry model is added to the blockchain record. Intermediate photogrammetry models can also be built where there is more than one shipper along the delivery route to assign liability to the proper party.