20240037751. THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) DEPTH IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC CONTAINER AUTO-CONFIGURATION simplified abstract (ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION)

THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) DEPTH IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC CONTAINER AUTO-CONFIGURATION

Organization Name

ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Inventor(s)

Lichen Wang of Malden MA (US)

Yan Zhang of Buffalo Grove IL (US)

Kevin J. O'connell of Palatine IL (US)

THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) DEPTH IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC CONTAINER AUTO-CONFIGURATION - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240037751 titled 'THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) DEPTH IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC CONTAINER AUTO-CONFIGURATION

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a system and method for dynamically configuring shipping containers using 3D depth imaging technology. Here is a simplified explanation of the abstract:

• A 3D-depth camera captures 3D image data of a shipping container during the loading process.
• An auto-configuration application analyzes the captured data to determine a representative container point cloud.
• An initial pre-configuration file is loaded, defining a digital bounding box that represents the search space and an initial front board area.
• The digital bounding box is applied to the container point cloud to remove interference data caused by the front board.
• A refined front board area is generated based on the shipping container type.
• An adjusted digital bounding box is generated based on the refined front board area.
• An auto-configuration result is generated, which includes the adjusted digital bounding box containing at least a portion of the container point cloud.

Potential applications of this technology:

• Shipping container logistics: The system can be used to automatically configure shipping containers during the loading process, improving efficiency and accuracy.
• Warehouse management: The technology can be applied to optimize the arrangement of containers in a warehouse, maximizing space utilization.
• Inventory management: By accurately capturing the dimensions and contents of containers, the system can help streamline inventory tracking and management.

Problems solved by this technology:

• Manual configuration errors: The system eliminates the need for manual configuration of shipping containers, reducing the risk of errors and improving overall accuracy.
• Front board interference: By removing front board interference data, the system ensures that the container point cloud accurately represents the contents of the container.

Benefits of this technology:

• Time and cost savings: The automated configuration process reduces the time and effort required for manual configuration, leading to cost savings.
• Improved accuracy: By using 3D depth imaging, the system provides a more accurate representation of the container's contents, reducing the risk of errors in inventory management and logistics.
• Increased efficiency: The automated configuration process improves the efficiency of container loading and warehouse management, optimizing space utilization and reducing handling time.

Original Abstract Submitted

three-dimensional (3d) depth imaging systems and methods are disclosed for dynamic container auto-configuration. a 3d-depth camera captures 3d image data of a shipping container located in a predefined search space during a shipping container loading session. an auto-configuration application determines a representative container point cloud and (a) loads an initial pre-configuration file that defines a digital bounding box having dimensions representative of the predefined search space and an initial front board area; (b) applies the digital bounding box to the container point cloud to remove front board interference data from the container point cloud based on the initial front board area; (c) generates a refined front board area based on the shipping container type; (d) generates an adjusted digital bounding box based on the refined front board area; and (e) generates an auto-configuration result comprising the adjusted digital bounding box containing at least a portion of the container point cloud.