Smart Hook Lift Tracking for Construction Material Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Construction sites lack efficient methods for monitoring and tracking lifting events, such as the type, weight, and location of materials being lifted by cranes, which can lead to inefficiencies and mismanagement of construction activities.
Innovation Solution
A smart hook system integrated with sensors and a remote computer system to automatically identify objects being lifted by cranes, generate lift event records, and provide real-time monitoring and notifications, using techniques like template matching, deep learning, and artificial intelligence to analyze load, motion, and geospatial data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual monitoring methods are used to track lifting events, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and productivity deteriorate due to inefficiencies and mismanagement
Solution Approach 1:
The smart hook system automatically monitors and tracks lifting events without requiring manual intervention. The integrated sensors (weight, motion, geospatial) and processing system autonomously identify objects, record lift events, and generate notifications, eliminating the need for manual monitoring while improving productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring with an automated electronic system. Sensors detect weight, motion, and location data, which are processed by a computer system to automatically identify objects and track lifting events, substituting human observation and record-keeping with automated electronic detection and processing
2Measurement precision
If automated sensor systems are deployed to track lifting events, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (weight sensor, motion sensor, geospatial sensor) into a single integrated smart hook system. These sensors work together to comprehensively detect and identify lifting events, with data from all sensors processed jointly to achieve accurate object identification
Solution Approach 2:
The smart hook system performs multiple functions through a single integrated device: weighing objects, detecting motion characteristics, determining geospatial location, identifying object types, and generating notifications. This multi-functionality achieves high measurement precision while consolidating complexity into one universal monitoring system
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring is implemented, then productivity and reliability improve, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The smart hook system continuously monitors weight, motion, and geospatial data throughout the entire lifting operation without interruption. This continuous monitoring ensures reliable detection of lifting events and real-time tracking of object location, improving reliability while maintaining consistent energy consumption throughout the operation
Data Source
AI summary
One variation of a method for tracking lift events at a construction site includes: accessing a timeseries of load values output by a weight sensor, coupled to a crane hook, and a first geospatial location of the crane hook during a first time period; deriving a lifting profile at the first geospatial location from the timeseries of load values; deriving a weight of the object from the timeseries of load values; identifying a type of the object carried by the crane hook during the first time period based on the lifting profile; accessing a second geospatial location of the crane hook during unloading of the object from the crane hook; and generating a lift event record defining the type of the object, the weight of the object, a pickup location of the object at the first geospatial location, and a drop-off location of the object at the second geospatial location.