Visual Indicator Status Recognition via Optical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to monitor sensitive or fragile objects during manufacturing, storage, or transit to determine and verify environmental conditions they have been exposed to, such as impact, temperature, or tilt, for quality control and compliance purposes, as existing methods lack efficient and cost-effective solutions for tracking these conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for visual indicator status recognition using an imaging system to capture and analyze optical data from indicators, which includes a detection module to derive status information, enabling the monitoring and tracking of environmental conditions associated with the indicators, allowing for local or remote processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional monitoring methods are used for environmental conditions, then monitoring capability is limited, but cost-effectiveness and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical monitoring systems with an optical imaging system that captures images of visual indicators. The imaging system uses optical fields instead of mechanical sensors to detect environmental conditions such as shock, tilt, and temperature exposure through visual changes in indicators, dramatically simplifying the system while improving efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates optical copies (images) of the indicator states to monitor environmental conditions. Instead of directly measuring physical parameters with complex sensors, the system captures visual representations of indicator changes and analyzes these images to determine whether thresholds have been exceeded, enabling simple yet effective monitoring.
2Ease of manufacture
If indicators are placed on entire shipments, then monitoring coverage is adequate, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the monitoring system into individual indicator units that can be attached to specific high-value items within shipments rather than requiring indicators on every package. This segmentation allows selective monitoring of critical items, reducing overall cost while maintaining adequate coverage for valuable goods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the monitoring approach from continuous physical sensing to threshold-based visual indication. The indicators remain in one state below thresholds and change to a different state when thresholds are exceeded, allowing simple binary detection that reduces system complexity and cost while providing reliable monitoring information.
3Loss of information
If detailed environmental data is captured continuously, then data completeness is improved, but data processing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic monitoring by capturing images at specific intervals or at key checkpoints in the supply chain rather than continuous monitoring. The imaging system takes snapshots of indicator states at predetermined points, providing sufficient data for quality control without the processing burden of continuous data streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for quality control - whether environmental thresholds have been exceeded - rather than capturing and processing all possible environmental parameters. The image analysis focuses specifically on detecting indicator state changes, filtering out unnecessary data and reducing processing requirements.
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
Enables the capture and digitization of static and dynamic status information from indicators, providing real-time monitoring and compliance tracking, reducing costs by using indicators on individual products rather than shipments, and ensuring regulatory compliance through efficient data processing and reporting.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging system configured to capture a first optical data of an indicator
Data Source
AI summary
A system and technique for visual indicator status recognition includes an imaging system configured to capture a first optical data of an indicator, the imaging system configured to verify indicator code indicia is derivable from the first optical data. Responsive to verifying that the indicator code indicia is derivable from the first optical data, the imaging system is configured to capture a second optical data of the indicator. The system and technique also includes a detection module executable by a processing unit to analyze the second optical data and derive status information of the indicator.