Vehicle-Mounted Image Stitching for Container Damage Documentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing technologies face challenges in accurately documenting damage to intermodal containers during transportation due to image distortion caused by vehicle speed changes and non-rectilinear paths, as well as inefficiencies when vehicles or containers are not present under line-scan cameras.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a processor, sensing device, and imaging device that determines vehicle presence, dewarps and stitches images from a wide-angle lens camera, and associates them with vehicle identifiers for storage, enabling efficient documentation of container damage and vehicle identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a line-scan camera is used to document containers during transportation, then documentation capability is provided, but image distortion occurs due to vehicle speed changes and non-rectilinear paths
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static line-scan camera approach to a dynamic wide-angle lens camera system that can capture images continuously while the vehicle moves. The camera is mounted on the vehicle itself, allowing it to adapt to changing speeds and non-rectilinear paths, thereby maintaining documentation capability while eliminating image distortion caused by vehicle motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the imaging system by using a wide-angle lens camera with a different field of view and capture mechanism compared to the line-scan camera. This parameter change allows the system to capture complete container images even during speed changes and turns, resolving the contradiction between documentation capability and image accuracy.
2Reliability
If a line-scan camera is used at a checkpoint, then container documentation is achieved, but the camera becomes idle and inefficient when no vehicle is present
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is mounted on the moving vehicle rather than being fixed at a checkpoint, transforming it from a static idle system to a dynamic always-active system. The camera operates continuously during vehicle movement, eliminating idle time and maximizing utilization efficiency while maintaining its documentation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system on the vehicle serves multiple functions: documenting container condition, tracking vehicle movement, and potentially monitoring other transportation parameters. This multi-functionality increases overall system productivity and justifies continuous operation, resolving the efficiency problem of idle time at checkpoints.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a wide-angle lens camera is mounted on the vehicle, then image capture capability is improved, but image distortion from wide-angle lenses must be corrected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for precise mechanical camera positioning and alignment with a computational approach. Wide-angle lens distortion and perspective distortion are corrected through digital image processing algorithms that mathematically transform the captured images into geometrically accurate representations, substituting mechanical precision with computational correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts the inherent geometric distortion parameters of wide-angle lenses and corrects them through digital transformation. By changing from a approach that tries to prevent distortion mechanically to one that corrects distortion computationally, the system gains adaptability while maintaining geometric accuracy.
4Area of stationary object
If multiple intermodal containers or vehicles are involved, then documentation coverage is increased, but logistical management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system on each vehicle automatically documents its own cargo and operation without requiring external checkpoint intervention. This self-service capability allows multiple vehicles and containers to be documented independently and simultaneously, increasing coverage while simplifying logistical management by eliminating the need for centralized checkpoint coordination.
Data Source
AI summary
The computing technologies include a processor in communication with a sensing device and with an imaging device. The sensing device and the imaging device input a set of sensing data and a set of imaging data respectively into the processor such that the processor is able to determine whether a vehicle is present within an operational area. If so, then the processor is able to stitch a set of frames from the set of imaging data for subsequent recordation into a storage device.