Stacking State Detection Using Boundary Gap Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional material handling equipment struggles to accurately determine the success of stacking operations due to environmental factors and equipment errors, leading to potential instability and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving sensors like Lidar and cameras to acquire target data, extract boundaries, and calculate gaps between stacking objects, comparing these gaps with thresholds to determine stacking states, using a controller to execute these steps and improve accuracy and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If material handling equipment stacks objects automatically, then productivity is improved, but stacking precision deteriorates due to equipment errors and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors (cameras, Lidar) to detect the positions and boundaries of stacking objects in real-time, feeds this information back to the control system, and adjusts the stacking process accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism compensates for equipment errors and environmental variations, maintaining high precision in automated stacking operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical positioning systems with optical and electromagnetic sensing systems (cameras, Lidar). These non-contact sensing systems provide more accurate position detection without the mechanical errors inherent in physical positioning mechanisms, thereby improving stacking precision while maintaining automation.
2Device complexity
If conventional stacking methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but stacking state detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces sensors (cameras, Lidar) as intermediary devices between the stacking objects and the control system. These intermediaries capture boundary information and gap measurements, enabling accurate stacking state detection without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex physical measurement systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement systems with optical and electromagnetic sensing systems. The sensors optically detect object boundaries and calculate gaps through image processing and point cloud analysis, achieving high measurement precision while keeping the overall device structure relatively simple.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to improve detection accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to handle multiple types of sensor data (camera images, Lidar point clouds) through unified processing algorithms. The same control unit processes information from different sensor types, allowing the system to achieve high measurement precision without proportionally increasing control system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions (visual detection, depth measurement, boundary recognition) into an integrated sensor system. By merging these functions and processing them together in the control system, the patent achieves comprehensive measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of entirely separate detection systems.
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
Enhances the efficiency and reliability of stacking operations by accurately determining successful stacking, reducing misalignment risks and ensuring safe, precise alignment of objects.
Implementation Method 1
acquiring target data of a first stacking object and a second stacking object by using a first sensor
Implementation Method 2
A system that uses material handling equipment such as an automated guided vehicle (AGV) during operation
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a method for determining a stacking state, a controller, and material handling equipment. The technical solution includes: acquiring target data of a first stacking object and a second stacking object; extracting, from the target data, first target data of the first stacking object and second target data of the second stacking object; extracting a first boundary of the first stacking object based on the first target data, and extracting a second boundary of the second stacking object based on the second target data; and calculating a width of a first gap between the first stacking object and the second stacking object based on the first boundary and the second boundary, and comparing the width of the first gap with a first threshold to determine a first stacking state. The present disclosure may help improve efficiency and accuracy of a determining process of a stacking state.