Unique Object Face ID for Logistics Consignment Units

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the logistics field, existing identification methods for consignment units are unreliable due to damage or loss of labels, leading to errors and loss of shipments, especially in ecommerce scenarios where the number of consignment units shipped is increasing.

Innovation Solution

A method involving obtaining images of objects, calculating distances between features and reference features, and generating unique strings of characters using base64 encoding and hash functions to create a unique object identifier (UOID) for efficient identification and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If identification labels are used for consignment units, then identification can be achieved, but the labels may become unreadable or lost during shipping

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification reliabilityVSAvoidlabel damage and loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a digital copy (photograph) of the consignment unit's surface features as an alternative to physical labels. This digital representation is stored and processed to generate a unique identifier, eliminating the need for physical labels that can be damaged or lost during shipping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical identification system (labels, barcodes, RFID tags) with an optical/digital system. By capturing images and processing visual features, the system substitutes physical identification media with digital data derived from the object's inherent visual characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If traditional identification methods are used, then identification is possible, but errors and loss of shipments occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelogistics processing efficiencyVSAvoidshipment accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The consignment unit itself provides identification information through its inherent visual features (patterns, colors, shapes on the surface). The system extracts unique identifiers from these self-contained visual characteristics, eliminating the need for separate identification components and reducing errors associated with label attachment and readability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If images and feature analysis are used for identification, then unique identification can be achieved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunique identification accuracyVSAvoidimage processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential visual features from the complete image data - specifically, key geometric and color characteristics that define the consignment unit's appearance. By focusing on these extracted features rather than processing entire images, the system reduces computational complexity while maintaining identification accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11797912B2Unique object face ID

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 DEUT POST AG

AI summary

An apparatus is disclosed which is configured to perform or control obtaining or causing obtaining at least one image of at least a part of an object; obtaining or causing obtaining information representative of a distance between at least one feature of the object present in the image and at least one reference feature of the object present in the image; generating or causing generating a string of characters based on the obtained information, the string of characters comprising at least a first portion representative of the distance between the at least one feature of the object present in the image and the at least one reference feature of the object present in the image; associating or causing associating information representing the string of characters with process information of the object.