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WO2017179038A1 - Dispositif, système et procédé d'estimation du volume d'un matériau dans un conteneur - Google Patents

Dispositif, système et procédé d'estimation du volume d'un matériau dans un conteneur Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017179038A1
WO2017179038A1 PCT/IL2017/050403 IL2017050403W WO2017179038A1 WO 2017179038 A1 WO2017179038 A1 WO 2017179038A1 IL 2017050403 W IL2017050403 W IL 2017050403W WO 2017179038 A1 WO2017179038 A1 WO 2017179038A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
open container
container
generally
wall
height
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IL2017/050403
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Sharon Ehrlich
Yossi ISRAELI-SHALEV
Thabit TAKROURI
David Reznik
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cyber Green Online Solutions Ltd
Original Assignee
Cyber Green Online Solutions Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cyber Green Online Solutions Ltd filed Critical Cyber Green Online Solutions Ltd
Publication of WO2017179038A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017179038A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F17/00—Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
    • G01F22/00—Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T7/00—Image analysis
    • G06T7/60—Analysis of geometric attributes
    • G06T7/62—Analysis of geometric attributes of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T2200/00—Indexing scheme for image data processing or generation, in general
    • G06T2200/04—Indexing scheme for image data processing or generation, in general involving 3D image data
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T2207/00—Indexing scheme for image analysis or image enhancement
    • G06T2207/10—Image acquisition modality
    • G06T2207/10004—Still image; Photographic image
    • G06T2207/10012—Stereo images
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
    • G06T2207/00—Indexing scheme for image analysis or image enhancement
    • G06T2207/10—Image acquisition modality
    • G06T2207/10028—Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of waste management.
  • Waste management is a process in which waste, garbage, or refuse are handled. The process may begin at initial inception of the waste materials, and may end with final disposal thereof.
  • a waste management process may comprise, for example, waste collection, waste transport, waste treatment, waste disposal, and other suitable operations.
  • waste may be stored, at least temporarily, in a waste container.
  • a waste container For example, a large waste container or a dumpster may be formed of steel or other metal, and may store or accumulate waste; and may be then be transported to a disposal area or to other location.
  • Some embodiments of the present invention may provide devices, systems, and methods for determining, calculating, measuring and/or estimating a volume of a material.
  • the material may be, for example, waste or garbage or other refuse; although the present invention may be utilized with other suitable types of materials.
  • the materials may be stored in a container, a dumpster, a dump-truck, a generally-cuboid container, a generally box-shaped container, or other suitable container.
  • Some embodiments may enable rapid estimation or determination of a volume of stored material, optionally by utilizing a single -reading or a single-measurement, or by utilizing a single set of rapid measurement operations; and optionally without the need to rely on any prior and/or external information or data about the container and/or about the dimensions or size of the container and/or about the material(s) stored in the container.
  • multiple imagers or cameras may capture images or videos of a top-side view of a loaded container and the materials stored therein, and/or of other views and/or perspectives of the materials and the container (e.g., from one or more viewing points that are typically located higher than to the top surface of the container, and/or that are typically located higher than the highest point of the material stored in the container; for example, from an upper-right angle, from an upper-left angle, in a slanted or diagonal viewing angle); and a processor or controller or computing device or a dedicated apparatus (e.g., a standalone weight-determination machine) may perform image analysis of such one or more images and/or videos, to generate or create or produce a three-dimensional Digital Terrain Model (DTM) of the top layer of such stored materials and/or of the upper region of such stored materials, or of the entirety of the stored material.
  • DTM Digital Terrain Model
  • one or more vertical rods or poles or columns may be located externally to the container, may illuminate light towards the container through multiple Lighting Points that are mounted at fixed spaced-apart distances; and may measure or sense the light signal that is reflected back from the container walls (e.g., the light is reflected back from bare container walls that are not hidden or covered or obscured by stored materials; whereas, the light is not reflected back from container walls that are hidden or covered or obscured by stored materials).
  • a processor or controller or computing device or other apparatus may analyze the light reflections, in combination with the generated DTM depth-aware map, and/or in combination with pre-defined data about the number and/or position and/or height of the Lightning Points (LPs) and their Columns, in order to determine or estimate the volume of the materials stored within the container.
  • LPs Lightning Points
  • the present invention may provide other benefits and/or advantages.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block-diagram illustration of a system, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system that utilizes stereoscopic imaging in order to generate a model of the materials stored in the container, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a demonstrative implementation of a Lighting Point (LP), in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • LP Lighting Point
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of an LP Column, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • waste management, collection, treatment and/or other handling may require, at one or more points and/or locations along a waste management chain or system or process, to measure or to determine or to estimate a volume of materials, particularly a volume of waste or garbage that is disposed of or is "dumped" (or is about to be dumped, or is en route to be dumped) from a container (or a dumpster, or a dump-truck) into a waste disposal site or waste recycling site or other types of waste treatment sites.
  • some waste management systems may charge fees (e.g., garbage transportation fees; garbage treatment fees; garbage disposal fees) that may be based, in whole or in part, on the volume of the garbage that is handled or managed (e.g., transported, treated, disposed).
  • Some waste management systems may operate by taking into account, or based on, volume units (e.g., cubic meters, cubic feet, cubic yards).
  • some garbage transportation systems may refer to transported garbage based on its volume, or may otherwise utilize the volume of garbage as "tradeable quantity" in garbage transportation or waste management systems or processes.
  • Some conventional systems require manual measurements, which may be inaccurate, incorrect, time consuming, effort consuming, and may not scale well over a large number of dumpsters or locations or dump-trucks.
  • Some conventional systems may utilize a weight-measurement unit, such as a scale to measure weight (e.g., of an empty truck, and of a loaded truck), in order to estimate or calculate the weight (but not the volume) of disposed materials.
  • Some conventional systems utilize a database storing information (e.g., volume) of certain common containers; but they may require definitive identification of the container being measured, and they would fail to operate when a new or uncommon container (e.g., that does not appear in the database) is utilized, or when the system fails to identify the container being used, or when the system errs in identifying the container being used (e.g., identifying the container as "Brand B, Model Ml” having a volume of 65 cubic meters, whereas the actual container was "Brand B, Model M7" having a volume of 88 cubic meters), thereby causing errors in determining the volume of the stored materials.
  • information e.g., volume
  • the present invention may comprise devices, systems, and methods for estimating, determining, calculating and/or measuring a volume of a material that is stored in a container (e.g., temporarily or permanently; or while being in-transit, or in-transport), particularly without requiring any prior information or data about the particular container being used and/or about the particular truck or dump-truck being used and/or about the type of material(s) stored in the container and/or about the origin or the destination of the container.
  • a container e.g., temporarily or permanently; or while being in-transit, or in-transport
  • the volume of garbage or waste may be determined, while such garbage or waste is being transported or carried or stored in a dumpster or dump-truck or other container; while the materials is still being stored therein, and without the need to touch or mix or shift or test or modify the materials, or without the need to otherwise modify a property or a characteristic of the material stored in the container, and while maintaining the container and its material in their exact state without any modifications, and/or without touching by any means the material(s) stored in the container, and/or without necessarily touching by any means the interior and/or the exterior of the container.
  • the measurement or determination or estimation may be performed while the materials are being transported, and/or prior to disposal or removal of the materials from such container to a target location (e.g., a waste disposal site, a waste burial site, a recycling or treatment site, or the like).
  • a target location e.g., a waste disposal site, a waste burial site, a recycling or treatment site, or the like.
  • Some embodiments may utilize a single measurement, or a single set of measurements, in a generally open environment or location; in a single, rapid, process that does not require human intervention; in an automated or semi-automated process; without the need to rely on any a-priory information or any prior data about the container or the dumpster or the dump-truck or the stored materials, and/or their properties, dimensions, size, weight, volume, origin, destination, or the like.
  • Some embodiments may operate to estimate the volume of the stored material without the need to weight the material, without the need to weight an empty container and/or an empty dumpster and/or an empty dump-truck; and/or without the need to know a-priory the weight and/or volume and/or other properties of the above-mentioned items.
  • an imager or camera may capture one or more images and/or videos of the container with the material(s) therein; for example, from a top location or position, at an angel, from a top slanted perspective (e.g., from imager(s) located higher relative to the highest point of the container and relative to the highest point of the stored materials; or from imager(s) located at least K meters higher than the highest point of the container, wherein K is a pre-defined value such as 1 or 2 or 3 or 5 meters, or wherein K is a dynamically-changing value that is dynamically set or modified based on a current image of the container indicating its highest point), or the like.
  • two or more imagers or cameras may be used, to enable stereoscopic imaging of the container and/or the materials stored therein.
  • two or more fixed or non-moving imagers or cameras may be used; for example, located at a pre-defined height from the ground, of N meters from the ground (e.g., 8 or 10 meters above the ground), which is a pre-defined height that enables such imager(s) to adequately capture perspective top-view image(s) of the materials stored in the container.
  • one or more moving imagers or moving cameras may be used; for example, imagers able to dynamically move vertically, on vertical rails or rail, to ensure that such imagers are located at a height that is above the top-most or highest point of the materials stored.
  • a three-dimensional model or virtual image or digital representation of the material and/or the container may be automatically generated by a computer or processor or computing device or other electronic device.
  • DTM Digital Terrain Modelling
  • one or more Columns or poles or rods or pillars or sticks may be used in order to provide illumination and/or in order to generate or transmit rays of light or beams of light or other forms of light (e.g., color light, monochromatic light, white light, light in a particular frequency, light in a particular frequency- range), in or at or towards particular positions or locations or regions (e.g., of or near the walls of the container), in order to enable the system to build the DTM model by taking into account such transmitted light and/or its reflection, as captured by the one or more imagers or cameras and/or by other light-sensing units or light sensors.
  • rays of light or beams of light or other forms of light e.g., color light, monochromatic light, white light, light in a particular frequency, light in a particular frequency- range
  • particular positions or locations or regions e.g., of or near the walls of the container
  • Such illumination unit(s) may be referred to herein as “Lighting Points Column” or “LP Column”; and the system may utilize multiple such LP Columns, which may be arranged or positioned or located in accordance with a pre-defined pattern or assembly order, in order to enable volume determination.
  • Such one or more LP Columns may be (or, may generate light that is), entirely or partially, in the field-of-view of each such imager or camera; optionally, each camera or imager may be rotated, shifted, slanted, oriented, tilted, panned, or otherwise moved, to ensure that each such imager or camera indeed sees such LP Column(s) and/or their reflected light, or at least one such LP Column and/or its reflected light, or at least two (or more) LP Columns and/or their reflected light, within its field-of-view.
  • multiple LP Columns may be positioned or located externally to the container of stored material; for example, at or near, or in proximity to, each external edge or corner or wall or panel of such container; for example, near, or generally parallel to, each one of four generally-vertical edges of a box-shaped container.
  • each such LP Column may be vertical or generally- vertical, or may be perpendicular or generally-perpendicular relative to the ground (e.g., relative to a road, a driveway, a parking lot, or other generally-flat surface).
  • Each LP Column may comprise a set of Lighting Points (LPs) or illumination points or illumination sources, which may be fixedly mounted or arranged at pre-defined and known distance from each other; for example, having a fixed distance between each pair of adjacent LPs of the same LP Column.
  • the fixed distance between two adjacent LPs may be 5 centimeters, or 8 centimeters, or 10 centimeters, or 15 centimeters, or 20 centimeters, or 25 centimeters; other suitable values may be used.
  • each LP may be or may comprise an illumination unit, or an illumination transmitter, or a light source, or a light reflector, or a combination of light transmitter and/or light receiver, or a combination of light-transmitter and light-receiver.
  • each LP, or at least one LP per each LP Column, or at least some LPs per each LP Column may illuminate and/or may transmit light towards the container, or towards a panel or a side-wall or an edge of the container.
  • Each LP may operate as an indicator and/or sensor for light that is reflected off the container (or its edge, or its side-wall or side-panel); such that a signal strength or signal intensity level of the reflected light may depend on, for example, the level of light reflection by each such panel or side-wall or edge, and/or (optionally) depending on other factors (e.g., the distance between each LP Column and the container being measured).
  • the system may sense and/or capture image(s) and/or video(s) of each LP Column, and/or may sense and analyze the reflected signal or the received signal at each LP.
  • An analysis or modeling of the properties of the Lighting Points may enable the system to calculate or estimate properties of the container; for example, enabling the system to estimate the height of the container (or its container-floor) relative to the ground (e.g., based on lack of consecutiveness or lack of continuousness of light-point reflections), and/or to estimate the height or the container (or the height of the top edge or top point of the container; for example, based on lack of light-point reflection).
  • each LP Column may comprise an integral or internal processing unit (e.g., processor, circuit, logic circuit, Integrated Circuit (IC), or the like), enabling each such LP Column to locally perform some or all of the calculations or estimations.
  • processor circuit, logic circuit, Integrated Circuit (IC), or the like
  • data sensed or measured by an LP Column, and/or data calculated locally or processed locally at each LP Column, and/or partially-processed data that is gathered and/or collected and/or aggregated and only partially processed by each LP Column may be transmitted to a central processor or computer or to another local apparatus or to a remote server (e.g., an enterprise server, and organization server, a "cloud computing" server), over a wired communication link and/or via a wireless communication link (e.g., cellular communication, Wi- Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, or the like).
  • a remote server e.g., an enterprise server, and organization server, a "cloud computing" server
  • each LP Column may be imaged or photographed, by an imager or camera or by multiple imagers or multiple cameras, in order to allow a local or a remote processing unit (or computing device, or other apparatus) to perform image analysis or video analysis of the lighting points.
  • a combination of the above-mentioned methods may be used.
  • multiple methods may be used in order to provide redundancy, and/or in order to allow verification and/or calibration and/or fine-tuning of calculations, and/or in order to enable adequate operation of the system in or during non-optimal conditions (e.g., harsh weather, rain, snow, hail, fog, dust, sunlight, or the like).
  • the size or dimensions of the container may be determined; for example, by estimating the length and width and height of the container, and multiplying them to obtain a multiplication product indicating an estimated volume of the container.
  • the system may be configured to utilize a working assumption that the thickness of each wall or panel or side -panel of the container is relatively small or insignificant or negligible, and thus the system may ignore such wall-thickness for purposes of volume calculations, and may calculate the gross volume of the container.
  • the system may be configured to utilize one or more pre-defined values indicating such thickness; for example, pre-defining the wall-thickness of the container to be, e.g., approximately 1 or 1.5 or 2 or 2.5 or 3 or 3.5 or 4 or 5 centimeters, and taking in to account such thickness in order to better estimate the net volume of the container.
  • the wall-thickness of the container walls or panels may be measured or estimated based on other means, for example, based on image analysis of one or more images of the container as captured by imagers or cameras of the system, particularly in relation or one or more reference values whose length or sizes are known and which may appear in such captured images. Other suitable methods may be used.
  • the tare volume of the container may be obtained by using the above-mentioned method of lighting points analysis; and/or by other suitable methods.
  • three-dimensional imaging and DTM technique may be used for estimating the gross volume of the material(s) stored in the container.
  • the difference between the gross volume and the tare volume may indicate the volume of the materials that were disposed of (e.g., assuming that the entirety of the stored materials was indeed spilled-out or dumped or disposed of).
  • the system may comprise multiple devices or units, which may be able to communicate among themselves via wired and/or wireless communication links, and which may be co-located within or at a single location or system (e.g., a waste management site), or may be distributed across multiple locations.
  • Such units may comprise, for example: (1) a weighting system or weighting device, able to determine weight of an item (e.g., a container, a loaded container, an empty container, a truck, a loaded truck, an empty truck); (2) one or more imagers or cameras or light sensors or reflected-light sensors, optionally including depth imagers or sensors, which may be mounted on (or connected to, or attached to) a mounting structure or mounting frame; such that the imager(s) may image or sample the container (e.g., storing therein the materials or waste) from a top location or from a top-slanted location or at a top-perspective angle, as well as one or more LP Columns that have fixedly spaced-apart Lighting Points (LPs); (3) the one or more LP Columns themselves, that have fixedly spaced-apart Lighting Points (LPs); (4) a local or remote or cloud-based processing unit (e.g., processor, computer, Integrated Circuit (IC), workstation, computing device) which
  • a truck carrying a container of waste arrives at a waste disposal site, and stops at a pre-defined and marked location.
  • the truck may be weighted by a scale or scaling system or other weight measurement system.
  • the truck and/or the container and/or the dumpster may be identified or recognized, for example, based on a tag or a code (e.g., serial number, model number, barcode, Q.R. code, or the like) which may be posted on the truck or the dumpster or which may be embedded thereon or otherwise attached thereto).
  • a tag or a code e.g., serial number, model number, barcode, Q.R. code, or the like
  • the processor or computer may activate or turn-on the Lighting Points that are mounted, fixedly spaced-apart, on one or more LP Columns.
  • the processor or computer may then (e.g., shortly thereafter, or immediately thereafter, or after 2 or 5 or 10 seconds) command the imager(s) or camera(s) to capture one or more images or videos, thereby enabling the processor or computer to generate or build or construct a three-dimensional model or data structure that represents of the container (truck, dumpster) and/or its content (waste, garbage, stored material) and/or its surrounding.
  • each image or photograph may depict therein, both (i) the container (or a portion thereof), and (ii) the LP Column (or at least a portion thereof).
  • the processor or computer of the system may perform a multi- step method, which may comprise, for example, the following six steps.
  • step (1) the processor identifies and/or analyzes and/or generates a three- dimensional model or data-structure or other digital representation of a "Cloud of Points" that represents the container and/or its surrounding and/or its content (e.g., stored material). This may enable the system to determine the dimensions (e.g., length L, width W, height H) of the container itself.
  • a "Cloud of Points" that represents the container and/or its surrounding and/or its content (e.g., stored material). This may enable the system to determine the dimensions (e.g., length L, width W, height H) of the container itself.
  • DTM Digital Terrain Modelling
  • step (2) the information sensed by the LP Columns is obtained, via a wired communication link or via a wireless communication link (e.g., if the LP Columns are capable of actively, locally, processing at least part of the sensed data), or by using image analysis.
  • the analysis of Lighting Points data may enable the process to determine or to extract or to estimate one or more parameters, for example: (a) the number of lighting points; (b) optionally, the intensity or strength of the reflected light at each lighting point; (c) optionally, the distance between each lighting point and a panel or wall of the container.
  • step (3) the information received from LP Columns may be processed or analyzed.
  • the analysis may check whether or not there was a reflection of transmitted light; and may determine what are the properties of such reflection (e.g., light intensity). Additionally or alternatively, the analysis may check for inconsistency or non-consecutiveness or non- continuousness (e.g., one or some of the points indicate light reflection, while other point or points do not; non-constant intensity or depth; or the like).
  • Such inconsistencies may enable the processor or the computing device to determine a lower-boundary or bottom-edge of the container; for example, consistent reflections of light may characterize the side -panel or side-wall of the container, whereas inconsistent light reflection may indicate that the reflections arrive from the structure of the truck located underneath the container, which may have a non-flat structure or partially-hollow structure, or slanted structure, or other structure which is different from a generally-flat and generally-vertical structure of a side -panel or a wall of a waste container or a dumpster or other generally box-shaped container.
  • the last consistent Lighting Point that is measured or sensed at the bottom may indicate the lowest part of the container.
  • the vertically highest Lighting Point that is measured or sensed may indicate the height of the top edge of the container. Accordingly, the height of the container may be determined or estimated, based on the difference between the highest LP and the lowest-and-still-consistent LP.
  • the processor or the computing device may further determine the height (e.g., relative to the ground or other base surface) of the lower-edge (or lowest-edge) of the container, denoted HO.
  • the processor may sum (e.g., using integral calculus) the volume contributions of each one of the points in the depth-aware image or other depth-indicating image or map or model of data-structure.
  • the processor may then determine the difference between (i) the gross volume
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block-diagram illustration of a system 1000 in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • the system 1000 may be implemented by utilizing suitable hardware components and/or software components, as well as sensors, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, illumination units, imagers, cameras, light sensors, light detectors, light reflectors, light sources, processors, memory units, storage units, and/or other suitable components.
  • a computer 1500 activates the Lighting Points (LP) Column 1400; and shortly thereafter, the computer 1500 activates imagers 1200 and 1300 which are located and positioned such that, upon suitable calibration, they capture images that enable the computer to generate a three-dimensional DTM model of the container and its materials; for example, by using a calibrated stereoscopic process.
  • the LP Column 1400 which is positioned or located in proximity to the container, may enable the processor to determine the height of the container.
  • the LP Column 1400 may be implemented as a "passive" component, having a passive reflector which illuminates only upon being hit by reflected light.
  • the imagers or cameras or sensors are directed and positioned to capture and measure the light intensity of each Lighting Point, and they may enable the processor to perform image analysis, to count the number of Lighting Points, to analyze or determine the distance(s) between Lighting Points, and/or to analyze the intensity of illumination or of reflected illumination.
  • the LP column 1400 may be implemented as an "active" component, optionally comprising therein a control unit or processing unit or controller which may sense, read and/or measure the intensity of the received light, and/or may measure or estimate the distance of the Lighting Point from the panel or side-panel of the container (e.g., by using Time Of Arrival (TOA) technique, or other suitable technique).
  • TOA Time Of Arrival
  • the system may not be required to capture images of the LP Column 1400, but rather, each LP Column 1400 may optionally comprise local sensor(s) and/or a local controller or processor able to locally and rapidly perform the local calculations and to output said data towards a central processor.
  • the information that is sensed and/or analyzed by (and/or at) the LP Column 1400 may be fused or merged with or augmented by or corrected by information obtained by image analysis.
  • a combination of one or more "passive” and one or more "active" LP Column(s) 1400 may be used; for example, to enable the system to verify and/or fine- tune its measurements or its estimates, to enable fine-tuning, to enable redundancy, to enable operation in harsh or hostile weather conditions, or the like.
  • Fig. 2 demonstrates a system 2000 that utilizes stereoscopic imaging in order to generate a three-dimensional DTM model or data-structure or digital representation of the materials stored in the container, or of their top-most surface or region or area, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • a calibration tool or unit or a self-calibration sub-system may be comprised in the system, or may otherwise be utilized by the system or may be integrated in the system.
  • an array of multiple imagers or cameras may be located on top of the space in which the container 2100 (e.g., on a truck) arrives.
  • the field-of-view of each imager contains or includes at least the entirety of the container, or the entirety of a top-view of the container.
  • the fields-of-view of the two (or several) imagers may be non-identical to each other; or may be overlapping or partially-overlapping with each other.
  • the two (or more) imagers may be located adjacent to each other, or at a predefined distance from each other; or may be slanted or non-parallel relative to each other.
  • the system is calibrated by using one or more calibration targets or calibration items or reference items, which may be captured by the imagers continuously and/or from time to time.
  • the floor or ground or base surface of the system may be formed of a tile pattern or a chess-board pattern (e.g., squares or rectangles having alternating colors, or alternating black-and-white squares), utilizing tiles having a pre-defined known size, thereby allowing the imagers and the system to auto-calibrate themselves at any given time, autonomously and automatically, based on the pre-defined size and/or number and/or location of such calibration pattern(s) or calibration item(s).
  • the system may produce or generate a Cloud of Points 2400, corresponding to the top surfaces of the stored materials.
  • Each point in the Cloud of Points 2400 is represented by its (x,y) coordinates for its surface location, as well as its distance relative to the calibrated array of imagers or sensors. This may allow the system to determine or estimate the length and width of the container, as well as the top heights of the material stored in the container (which may be used further by subtracting from it the height of the container floor from the ground).
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a demonstrative implementation of a Lighting Point (LP) 3700, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • the Lighting Point transmitter 3700 transmits a ray of light towards a side-panel of the measured container 3100. If the ray of light indeed hits a side-panel or side- wall of the container, then it is reflected back towards a light receiver 3300 or other light sensor, which may collect the received reflected signal and optionally diverts it to an illumination unit 3500.
  • the measurement of the reflected light may be utilized to generate data about the light intensity of the reflected light, and optionally also data about the distance between the LP 3700 and the side-wall of the container 3100.
  • the illumination unit 3500 may be configured or pre-set to illuminate, only if the received reflected light signal has intensity that is greater than a pre-defined threshold value.
  • the illumination unit 3500 may illuminate a light having an intensity that is related to the intensity of the reflected received light; and/or the illumination unit 3500 may illuminate for a period of time that is in relation to the intensity of the reflected received light.
  • the analysis may utilize a series of images taken over time, or a video sequence, of the illumination unit 3500.
  • the illumination unit 3500 may not be needed, and imaging of the LP 3700 may not be needed; rather, local processing of the sensed data may be performed locally at the LP 3700 by a local controller or IC or processor, and the analysis results may be transferred to the computer via wired or wireless communication link(s).
  • the system may utilize a-priori information or dynamically-determined information with regard to the location and/or position and/or placement of each LP, thereby enabling the system to determine the height dimension of the container, and to further fuse or merge or utilize this data with the data obtained from the depth analysis or DTM-based analysis.
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of an LP Column 4200, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of the present invention.
  • the LP Column 4200 is placed or mounted on, or attached or connected to, a known or pre-defined reference point 4100 which may be denoted as "Ground Level".
  • Each LP is located at the same, fixed, distance from its adjacent LP(s) (e.g., from the one above it, and/or from the one under it).
  • that fixed distance between each pair of adjacent LPs may also be the same distance between a last LP on the column (namely, an LP that has only one single neighboring LP) and the column ending that is closest to it.
  • this unique structure may enable the system to directly estimate or determine the height dimension of the container, as well as the relative height of the container relative to the Ground Level reference point; for example, based on a count of the illuminating lighting points that are visible and/or whose light is sensed.
  • the system may utilize a fixed distance of 10 centimeters between each pair of LPs; a total of sixteen LPs in the Column; a known distance of 5 centimeters between the first or the highest LP (denoted LP1) and the ending of the LP Column (distance Dl); and a known distance of 60 centimeters between the lowest LP and the Ground Level reference point 4100 (distance Dn+1).
  • the system may detect or may measure that LPs numbers 2-10 have full (or strong, or fixed) light reflection, whereas LPs numbers 11-16 have inconsistent (or weak, or changing) light reflection.
  • the system may determine that the Height dimension of the container is 80 centimeters, since this is the distance between the second LP and the tenth LP. Additionally, the system may determine that the floor of the container is located 110 centimeters above the Ground Level, namely, that the height of the floor of the container relative to the ground is 110 centimeters. Other suitable calculations and determinations may be used.
  • parts of the system or the entire system may optionally be mounted within or underneath a roof, a shelter, a tunnel, a covered gate, or other structure that may enable the system to operate efficiently and accurately while providing protection or mitigation from harsh weather conditions, or while blocking or reducing interference from rain, snow, hail, dew, dust, sunlight, direct sunlight, indirect sunlight, or the like.
  • Some embodiments include a system for determining a volume of a material stored in an open container, the system comprising: a generally- vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units are positioned to illuminate a side-wall of said open container; one or more light sensors to sense reflected light-beams that are reflected back from said side-wall of said open container; a container height estimator unit, to estimate a height of said container based on a number of said reflected light-beams; one or more cameras, located at a height that is higher relative to said container, wherein said one or more cameras are to capture top-perspective images of said material stored in said open container; an image analysis unit to analyze said images, and to generate from said images a three-dimensional data structure that represents a top surface of said material stored in said open container; a volume estimator unit, to estimate the volume of said material in said open container, based on (a) estimated height of said open container, and (
  • the one or more cameras comprise at least two cameras able to capture a stereoscopic three-dimensional image of said material in said open container; wherein the image analysis unit is to analyze said stereoscopic three-dimensional image and to generate from it said three-dimensional data structure.
  • the one or more cameras are non-moving, fixed, cameras that are mounted at a pre-defined height relative to a flat ground surface.
  • the one or more cameras are dynamically-moving cameras that are capable of moving, at least vertically, along a generally-vertical axis that is generally perpendicular to a flat ground surface.
  • the three-dimensional data structure comprises a plurality of top-surface regions, each one of said top-surface regions being generally parallel to a horizontal ground surface; wherein the volume estimator unit is to integrate and sum together a volume contribution of multiple pillars of volume, each pillar of volume corresponding to (i) a surface of one top-surface region multiplied by (ii) an estimated height of said top-surface region from a bottom-floor surface of said open container.
  • the system comprises: a generally-flat floor surface, to receive thereon a vehicle carrying said open container; wherein said generally-flat floor surface comprises at least a dual-color chessboard pattern of squares arranged in columns and rows, wherein said squares have identical dimensions and alternating colors; wherein, for each particular square having a first color, said particular square has four edges which are surrounded by four adjacent squares that have a second, different, color; wherein at least one of (i) the image analysis unit, and (ii) the volume estimator unit, utilizes said dual-color chessboard pattern of squares to determine a real-life dimension of at least one of: (I) the material stored in the open container, (II) the open container.
  • the one or more light sensors are to sense also an intensity of each reflected light-beam that is reflected back from said side-wall of said open container; wherein said container height estimator unit is to utilize said intensity of each reflected light-beam, in estimating a height of said container and in differentiating between (I) a first light beam that is reflected from said side- wall of said open container, and (II) a second light beam that is reflected from another object other than a side-wall of said open container.
  • the system comprises: a first generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the first generally- vertical column are positioned to illuminate a first side- wall of said open container; a second generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the second generally-vertical column are positioned to illuminate a second side-wall of said open container which is opposite to said first side-wall of said open container.
  • the system comprises: a first generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the first generally- vertical column are positioned to illuminate a first side- wall of said open container; a second generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the second generally-vertical column are positioned to illuminate a second side-wall of said open container which is opposite to said first side-wall of said open container; a third generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the third generally-vertical column are positioned to illuminate a third side-wall of said open container which is perpendicular to said first side-wall of said open container and is also perpendicular to said second side-wall of said open container.
  • the system comprises: a first generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the first generally- vertical column are positioned to illuminate a first side- wall of said open container; a second generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the second generally-vertical column are positioned to illuminate a second side-wall of said open container which is opposite to said first side-wall of said open container; a third generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units of the third generally-vertical column are positioned to illuminate a third side-wall of said open container which is perpendicular to said first side-wall of said open container and is also perpendicular to said second side-wall of said open container; a fourth generally-vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixed
  • said open container is mounted on top of a vehicle having at least four wheels; wherein the height of said open container is determined by: (i) estimating a total combined height of the open container and the vehicle; (ii) based on at least one of light sensor analysis or image analysis, detecting a location of a center of at least one wheel of said vehicle; (iii) based on step (ii), estimating a vertical distance between (I) said center of said at least one wheel, and (II) a lowest panel of said open container (e.g., based on pre-defined data or ratio that indicates a typical distance or typical ratio of distance, between a center of a wheel of a truck, and a lower surface of a flat platform of said truck on which said container is placed); (iv) based on steps (i) and (iii), estimating a height dimension of said open container, even if said lower panel of said open container is obstructed from imaging or is being covered.
  • the height of said open container is determined by: (i)
  • the open container is mounted on top of a vehicle having at least four wheels; the system determines the volume of the material stored in the open container without weighting any one of: (i) said material, (ii) said open container, (iii) said vehicle, and without weighting any aggregate combination of (i) said material, (ii) said open container, (iii) said vehicle.
  • At least some of height estimation operations, that are utilized for estimating a net height of said open container, are performed locally by a controller that is located within or is attached to said generally- vertical column.
  • said material comprises garbage and/or solid waste and/or solid refuse and/or a mixture of multiple types of garbage materials; wherein said material has a top region that is non-flat and non-planar.
  • a method for automatically determining a volume of a material stored in an open container comprises: placing in proximity to said open container, a generally- vertical column comprising a plurality of illumination units that are fixedly spaced-apart from each other, wherein the illumination units are positioned to illuminate a side-wall of said open container; placing in proximity to said open container, one or more light sensors to sense reflected light- beams that are reflected back from said side-wall of said open container; at a container height estimator unit, estimating a height of said container based on a number of said reflected light- beams; placing one or more cameras at a height that is higher relative to said container, and capturing via said one or more cameras top-perspective images of said material stored in said open container; at an image analysis unit, analyzing said images, and generating from said images a three-dimensional data structure that represents a top surface of said material stored in said open container; at a volume estimator unit, estimating the volume of said material in said open container,
  • placing operations need not be performed manually by a human operator; but rather, may be performed by robotic arms, mechanical units, moving units, or other automated machines that are able to move or place or remove the Lighting Poles to be in proximity to (or away from) the side -panels of the container.
  • a distance sensor or distance estimator may be utilized, to ensure that the Lighting Poles are positioned or placed at a pre-defined distance or range-of-values of distance, from the side -pane of the container; and/or to ensure that the Lighting Poles do not touch the container.
  • portions of the discussion herein may relate, for demonstrative purposes, to measuring or determining the volume of waste or garbage in a waste container or dumpster or dump-truck, the present invention may further be utilized for other purposes; for example, for measuring or determining the volume of other, non-garbage, non-waste, materials or solids, for example, sand, cement, granules, pellets, rocks, stones, a mixture of solids, lumps, and/or other suitable collection of solids or collection of items (e.g., bottles, cans, boxes, packages, countable items, non-countable items, or the like).
  • other, non-garbage, non-waste, materials or solids for example, sand, cement, granules, pellets, rocks, stones, a mixture of solids, lumps, and/or other suitable collection of solids or collection of items (e.g., bottles, cans, boxes, packages, countable items, non-countable items, or the like).
  • the present invention may be implemented by a dedicated or specially-constructed system, which is not a "general purpose computer” and is not a “generic computer”.
  • the system and methods of the present invention are not merely an abstract idea, and are significantly more than an abstract idea. Rather, the present invention enables a novel and non-obvious association and inter-operability and communication-exchange among multiple hardware devices, including imagers, cameras, scales, volume determination units, DTM generators and modeling units, volume estimators, Lightning Points and their respective mounting columns, calibration units, reflectors, light transmitters, light receivers, light detectors, light sensors, illumination units, light intensity detectors or sensors, and/or other suitable components.
  • the present invention may further comprise a non-transitory storage medium or storage article, which stores thereon instructions or code that, if or when executed by a processor or a machine, cause such processor or machine to perform an automated method in accordance with the present invention.
  • wired links and/or wired communications some embodiments are not limited in this regard, and may include one or more wired or wireless links, may utilize one or more components of wireless communication, may utilize one or more methods or protocols of wireless communication, or the like. Some embodiments may utilize wired communication and/or wireless communication.
  • the system(s) and/or device(s) of the present invention may optionally comprise, or may be implemented by utilizing suitable hardware components and/or software components; for example, processors, processor cores, Central Processing Units (CPUs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), circuits, Integrated Circuits (ICs), controllers, memory units, registers, accumulators, storage units, input units (e.g., touch-screen, keyboard, keypad, stylus, mouse, touchpad, joystick, trackball, microphones), output units (e.g., screen, touch-screen, monitor, display unit, audio speakers), microphone(s), sensor(s), wired or wireless modems or transceivers or transmitters or receivers, GPS receiver or GPS element or other location-based or location-determining unit or system, network elements (e.g., routers, switches, hubs, antennas), and/or other suitable components and/or modules.
  • suitable hardware components and/or software components for example, processors, processor cores, Central Processing Units (CPUs), Digital
  • system(s) and/or device(s) of the present invention may optionally be implemented by utilizing co-located components, remote components or modules, "cloud computing" servers or devices or storage, client/server architecture, peer-to-peer architecture, distributed architecture, and/or other suitable architectures or system topologies or network topologies.
  • calculations, operations and/or determinations may be performed locally within a single device, or may be performed by or across multiple devices, or may be performed partially locally and partially remotely (e.g., at a remote server) by optionally utilizing a communication channel to exchange raw data and/or processed data and/or processing results.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne des systèmes et des procédés permettant de déterminer un volume d'un matériau stocké dans un conteneur ouvert. Une colonne généralement verticale possède des unités d'éclairage qui sont espacées de manière fixe et éclairent une paroi latérale du conteneur. Des capteurs de lumière détectent les faisceaux de lumière réfléchis, qui sont réfléchis depuis les parois latérales du conteneur. Le système estime la hauteur du conteneur sur la base du nombre de faisceaux de lumière réfléchis. Des appareils de prise de vues capturent des images en perspective de dessus du matériau stocké. Le système produit, à partir des images, une structure de données tridimensionnelle qui représente une surface supérieure du matériau stocké dans le conteneur. Le système estime le volume du matériau, sur la base de la hauteur estimée du conteneur et sur la base de la hauteur estimée de chaque point dans la structure de données tridimensionnelle par rapport à une hauteur de plancher estimée du conteneur.
PCT/IL2017/050403 2016-04-11 2017-04-04 Dispositif, système et procédé d'estimation du volume d'un matériau dans un conteneur Ceased WO2017179038A1 (fr)

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US10750134B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2020-08-18 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US10855958B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2020-12-01 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US10911726B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-02-02 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US11128841B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-09-21 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US11140367B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-10-05 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US11172171B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2021-11-09 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US12464097B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2025-11-04 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US10594991B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2020-03-17 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US12015880B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2024-06-18 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US11425340B1 (en) 2018-01-09 2022-08-23 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for managing service and non-service related activities associated with a waste collection, disposal and/or recycling vehicle
US11475416B1 (en) 2019-08-23 2022-10-18 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings Llc System and method for auditing the fill status of a customer waste container by a waste services provider during performance of a waste service activity
US11475417B1 (en) 2019-08-23 2022-10-18 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, Llc System and method for auditing the fill status of a customer waste container by a waste services provider during performance of a waste service activity
US12136071B1 (en) 2019-08-23 2024-11-05 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for auditing the fill status of a customer waste container by a waste services provider during performance of a waste service activity
US11790290B1 (en) 2020-12-16 2023-10-17 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for optimizing waste / recycling collection and delivery routes for service vehicles
US11386362B1 (en) 2020-12-16 2022-07-12 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for optimizing waste / recycling collection and delivery routes for service vehicles
US12361432B1 (en) 2021-03-09 2025-07-15 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for customer and/or container discovery based on GPS drive path analysis for a waste / recycling service vehicle
US11727337B1 (en) 2021-03-09 2023-08-15 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for customer and/or container discovery based on GPS drive path and parcel data analysis for a waste / recycling service vehicle
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US12266268B1 (en) 2021-03-09 2025-04-01 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for customer and/or container discovery based on GPS drive path and parcel data analysis for a waste / recycling service vehicle
US11488118B1 (en) 2021-03-16 2022-11-01 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for auditing overages and contamination for a customer waste container by a waste services provider during performance of a waste service activity
US20240288605A1 (en) * 2021-07-01 2024-08-29 Smiths Detection France S.A.S. Inspection of cargo in open-topped vehicle
US12332073B1 (en) 2021-11-02 2025-06-17 Wm Intellectual Property Holdings, L.L.C. System and method for efficient customer and container on-property service based on collection of off-street data for a waste / recycling service vehicle
CN114445469A (zh) * 2022-02-15 2022-05-06 北京壬工智能科技有限公司 无人机自主调度的物料堆垛盘点装置、系统及其方法
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