SYSTEMS, APPARATUS, AND METHODS FOR DYNAMICALLY TRANSFORMING DIMENSIONAL DATA REPRESENTING A SHIPPING ITEM BEING LOADED WITHIN A CONTAINER USING A SCANNING SENSOR NODE

摘要

Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for dynamically transforming dimensional data representing a shipping item being loaded within a container using a scanning sensor node mounted above a space within the container. Generally, the scanning sensor node has a memory, a depth sensor oriented to scan the space from above, and a communications interface to an external managing node. For example, the method uses the scanning sensor node to access the onboard memory for available material dimension data related to the shipping item. The method uses the depth sensor to generate scan data on the shipping item once the shipping item is placed within the container, compare the generated scan data to the available material dimension data, and dynamically transform the available material dimension data into the current dimensional data representing the shipping item based upon the comparison of the generated scan data to the available material dimension data.

主权项

1. A system to quantify space within a container as the container is loaded, the system comprising:
a scanning sensor apparatus disposed within the container, the scanning sensor apparatus further comprising:
a housing configured to be mounted to an interior roof surface within the container;a processing unit disposed within the housing;a memory disposed within the housing, the memory operatively coupled to the processing unit and maintaining at least a scanning program code section for execution by the processing unit and an available material dimension data related to a shipping item;a depth sensor operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the depth sensor is disposed below the interior roof surface and oriented to scan the space within the container below the interior roof surface;a wireless communication interface disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the processing unit; and an external managing node disposed outside the container and in operative communication with the scanning sensor apparatus via the wireless communication interface; wherein the processing unit of the scanning sensor apparatus, when executing the scanning program code section, is operative to
access the available material dimension data in the memory related to the shipping item,cause the depth sensor to scan the space within the container below the interior roof surface once the shipping item is loaded in the space within the container,receive, from the depth sensor, scan data generated during the scan,compare the scan data to the available material dimension data, anddynamically transform the available material dimension data into the current dimensional data representing the shipping item based upon the comparison of the generated scan data to the available material dimension data, andcause the wireless communication interface to transmit a dimensional data update message to the external managing node, wherein the dimensional data update message reflects the current dimensional data representing the shipping item; and wherein the external managing node is operative to receive the dimensional data update message from the wireless communication interface of the scanning sensor apparatus and store the transformed current dimensional data as communicated in the dimensional data update message.