Detection Apparatus for Identifying an Object Transported by a Conveying Device

Abstract

The invention relates to a detection apparatus, in particular a code reader, comprising an identification unit for identifying an object transported by a conveying device, in particular a continuous conveyor, further in particular a roller conveyor, characterized in that the detection apparatus has at least a first microphone and is configured to detect the object acoustically, in particular during transport, by means of at least the first microphone, and to initiate an identification process of the object by means of the identification unit only when the object is detected.

Claims

1. A detection apparatus, comprising an identification unit for identifying an object transported by a conveying device, wherein the detection apparatus has at least a first microphone and is configured to detect the object acoustically, in particular during transport, by means of at least the first microphone, and to initiate an identification process of the object by means of the identification unit only when the object is detected.

2. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, that is a code reader.

3. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device is a continuous conveyor.

4. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the continuous conveyor is a roller conveyor.

5. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to detect the object acoustically during transport.

6. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit comprises a code reading sensor for identifying the object and is configured for an operation in an inactive state, in which the code reading sensor is inactive and/or a measurement value output of the code reading sensor is not processed, and for an operation in an active state, in which the code reading sensor is active and/or the measurement value output of the code reading sensor is processed, and wherein the detection apparatus is configured to transfer the identification unit from the inactive state to the active state when the object is detected.

7. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit is configured to read out a code applied to the object, by means of which code the object can be identified.

8. The detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the identification unit is configured to read out the code applied to the object by means of the code reading sensor.

9. The detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the code reading sensor is designed as an optical sensor or wherein the code reading sensor is designed as an electromagnetic sensor.

10. The detection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the code reading sensor is at least one of a laser scanner, a camera scanner and an LED scanner or an RFID reading device.

11. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection apparatus has a second microphone at a defined spacing from the first microphone and is configured to detect the object acoustically by means of the second microphone.

12. The detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to detect the object acoustically during transport.

13. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to record and evaluate a volume and a pitch of a sound influenced by the object by means of at least the first microphone in order to detect the object.

14. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sound is a transport sound of the object.

15. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detection apparatus is further configured to record and evaluate the volume and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object by means of the first microphone and the second microphone in order to detect the object.

16. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detection apparatus is further configured to record and evaluate the volume and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object by means of the first microphone and the second microphone in each case in order to detect the object.

17. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to calculate a distance between the object and the detection apparatus and/or a position of the object and/or a speed of the object by means of triangulation on the basis of the volume and/or pitch recorded by the first microphone and the second microphone in each case.

18. The detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to detect the object when the distance falls below a predetermined distance value and/or the object reaches a predefined position value, and/or wherein the detection apparatus is configured to detect the object when the volume exceeds a predefined first limit value and the pitch exceeds a predefined second limit value.

19. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to terminate the identification process after the identification of the object if the volume exceeds a predefined third limit value and the pitch exceeds a predefined fourth limit value, if a preset waiting time has elapsed after the identification, if a preset switch-off time has elapsed after the initiation of the identification process, if the distance exceeds a predetermined second distance value and/or if the object reaches a predefined second position value.

20. The detection apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to transfer the identification unit from the active state to the inactive state in order to terminate the identification process.

21. The detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the limit values are predefined such that the limit values have a correlation to one another, which correlation takes into account a relationship based on the Doppler effect between the volume and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object when passing the detection apparatus.

22. The detection apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the sound influenced by the object is the transport sound.

23. The detection apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the limit values are predefined such that the limit values have a correlation to one another, which correlation takes into account a relationship based on the Doppler effect between the volume and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object when passing the detection apparatus.

24. The detection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the detection apparatus comprises a memory module on which memory module the volume and the pitch are recorded and/or the limit values, the waiting time, the switch-off time, the distance value, and in particular the second distance value, and/or the position value, and/or wherein the detection apparatus is configured so that the limit values, the waiting time, the switch-off time, the distance value, and/or the position value, and are defined during an installation process of the detection apparatus.

25. The detection apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the memory module is configured for an electronic data exchange with an external device.

26. The detection apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the detection apparatus is configured, during the installation process in which the object passes the detection apparatus at least once, to store, for each passing of the object, the volume of the sound influenced by the object as a first reference pattern and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object as a second reference pattern in the memory module by means of at least the first microphone, and to determine the first limit value via the at least one first reference pattern and to determine the second limit value via the at least one second reference pattern.

27. The detection apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to compare the volume of the sound influenced by the object with the at least one first reference pattern and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object with the at least one second reference pattern and, depending on a match of the comparison, to detect the object, to terminate the identification process and/or to reject the identification.

28. The detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection apparatus has a housing, in which housing the identification unit and at least the first microphone and/or the memory module, are arranged.

29. A method for identifying an object transported by a conveying device, wherein the object is detected acoustically and an identification process for identifying the object is only initiated when the object is detected.

Description

[0034] FIG. 1 a detection apparatus known from the prior art;

[0035] FIG. 2 a detection apparatus according to the invention; and

[0036] FIG. 3 a time development of volume and pitch at the location of the detection apparatus during the transport of the object.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a detection apparatus 11 known from the prior art comprising an identification unit 13 installed at a conveying device 17. The identification unit 13 is configured to identify an object 19 transported by the conveying device 17 during the transport. For this purpose, the object 19 is provided with a barcode 27 by means of which specific information can be easily associated with the object 19. An enlarged view of the barcode 27 is additionally shown at the bottom right in FIG. 1. The identification unit 13 is configured to read out the barcode 27 so that the object 19 can be identified via the barcode 27. In order not to reduce the service life of the detection apparatus 11 unnecessarily, the identification unit 13 is only activated when the object 19 is also actually in the vicinity of the detection apparatus 11. For this purpose, the detection apparatus 11 comprises, at a sufficiently large distance from the identification unit 13, a light barrier 15 by means of which the detection apparatus 11 can detect the approaching object 19 and only activates the identification unit 13 in good time in the event of a detection so that the identification unit 13 can identify the object 19 by reading out the barcode 27 before the object 19 has passed the detection apparatus 11.

[0038] However, a disadvantage of this known solution for identifying the object 19 is that a light barrier 15 must be provided for each detection apparatus 11, which also entails an additional installation effort for the detection apparatus 11, in particular for the light barrier 15 and the identification unit 13 per se, and for the additionally required cabling, and an additional maintenance effort of such a detection apparatus 11.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a detection apparatus 11 according to the invention in the form of a stationary barcode scanner. The detection apparatus 11 is laterally arranged at a conveying device 17 that transports an object 19 in the form of a package in the direction illustrated by the arrow. The detection apparatus 11 comprises an identification unit 13 for identifying the object 19 transported by the conveying device 17 and a first microphone 21. The detection apparatus 11 is configured to detect the object 19 acoustically during a sound-generating movement during the transport by means of at least the first microphone 21, and to initiate an identification process for identifying the object 19 by means of the identification unit 13 only when the object 19 is detected.

[0040] The identification unit 13 comprises a code reading sensor (not shown) in the form of a laser scanner for identifying the object 19. The identification unit 13 is configured for an operation in an inactive state, in which the code reading sensor is inactive, and for an operation in an active state, in which the code reading sensor is active. The detection apparatus 11 is configured to transfer the identification unit 13 from the inactive state to the active state when the object 19 is detected. For this purpose, the detection apparatus 11 comprises a control device, not shown. Furthermore, the identification unit 13 is configured to read out a code (not shown) applied to the object 19, by means of which code the object 19 can be identified, by means of the code reading sensor in order to identify the object 19.

[0041] Furthermore, the detection apparatus 11 has a second microphone 23 at a defined spacing from the first microphone 21 and is configured to detect the object 19 acoustically during a sound-generating movement during the transport, also by means of the second microphone 23. The first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23 can have the same design in this respect.

[0042] The detection apparatus 11 is configured to record and evaluate a volume and a pitch of a sound influenced by the object 19 by means of the first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23 in each case in order to detect the object 19. In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 2, the sound influenced by the object 19 is a transport sound of the object 19 that is illustrated by the circles drawn around the object 19.

[0043] Furthermore, the detection apparatus 11 is configured to calculate, via the volume in each case recorded by the first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23, a distance between the object 19 and the detection apparatus 11 by means of triangulation on the basis of the transit time differences to the first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23, the speed of sound and the known defined spacing between the first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23.

[0044] In FIG. 3, a time development of the volume (b)) and the pitch (c)) are shown by way of example for the embodiment example shown in FIG. 2 as they are recorded by one of the microphones 21, 23 at the location of the detection apparatus 11 when the object 19 passes the detection apparatus 11 (a)) transported by the conveying device 17 as illustrated by the arrow. The passing comprises the object 19 approaching the detection apparatus 11, being at its level and moving away from it again. If the object 19 approaches the detection apparatus 11, the volume increases, wherein the pitch-since the sound waves of the sound influenced by the object 19 are compressed in the direction of movement of the object 19 in the embodiment example shownis higher than when the object 19 is at the level of the detection apparatus 11. If the object 19 is at the level of the detection apparatus 11, the volume reaches a maximum, but the pitch is lower than during the approach. If the object 19 moves away from the detection apparatus 11 again, the volume decreases, wherein the pitch-since the sound waves of the sound influenced by the object 19 are stretched against the direction of movement of the object 19 in the embodiment example shownis lower than when the object 19 is at the level of the detection apparatus 11.

[0045] For a particularly reliable detection of the object 19, the detection apparatus 11 of the embodiment example shown is configured to detect the object only if the following three criteria are simultaneously satisfied:

[0046] If a predefined first limit value of the volume and a predefined second limit value of the pitch are simultaneously exceeded, a corresponding first criterion and a corresponding second criterion for detecting the object 19 are simultaneously satisfied. In this respect, it is not important that the limit values are actually simultaneously exceeded, but only that both criteria are simultaneously satisfied. In this embodiment example, the first limit value and the second limit value are predefined such that the two limit values have a correlation to one another, which correlation takes into account a relationship based on the Doppler effect between the volume and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object 19 when approaching the detection apparatus 11 in accordance with the illustration from FIG. 3. If the calculated distance simultaneously falls below a predetermined distance value, a corresponding third criterion is simultaneously satisfied.

[0047] In a first situation in FIG. 2, the object 19 is still too far away from the detection apparatus 11 for the detection since the first limit value and the second limit value are predefined such that and the distance value is predetermined such that, due to the sound influenced by the object 19 when approaching the detection apparatus 11, the corresponding above criteria are only simultaneously satisfied when the object 19 reaches the position illustrated by the line AB. The detection in this position activates the identification unit 13 in good time so that it can identify the object 19 before the object 19 has passed the detection apparatus 11.

[0048] In a second situation in FIG. 2, the object 19 has reached a position in which the above criteria are simultaneously satisfied, whereby the detection of the object 19 took place. Thus, in the second situation, the identification unit 13 is transferred to the active state and is ready to read out the code applied to the object 19 by means of the code reading sensor. In this embodiment example, this happens when the object 19 is at the level of the detection apparatus 11.

[0049] Furthermore, if the volume falls below a predefined third limit value and the pitch falls below a predefined fourth limit value, the detection apparatus 11 is configured to terminate the identification process by means of the control device and to transfer the identification unit 13 from the active state to the inactive state.

[0050] However, this only happens when the object 19 reaches the position illustrated by the line CD since the third limit value and the fourth limit value are predefined such that, due to the sound influenced by the object 19 when moving away from the detection apparatus 11, the third limit value and the fourth limit value are only simultaneously fallen below from the position CD. For example, the first and third as well as the second and fourth limit values can be identical limit values.

[0051] The detection apparatus 11 furthermore comprises a memory module (not shown) on which the volume and the pitch are recorded, wherein the detection apparatus 11 is configured such that the limit values and the distance value are defined during an installation process of the detection apparatus 11. For this purpose, the detection apparatus 11 is configured, during the installation process in which the object 19 passes the detection apparatus 11 at least once, to store, for each passing of the object 19, the volume of the sound influenced by the object 19 as a respective first reference pattern and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object 19 as a respective second reference pattern in the memory module by means of the first microphone 21 and the second microphone 23 in each case, and to determine the first limit value and the third limit value via the at least one respective first reference pattern and to determine the second limit value and the fourth limit value via the at least one respective second reference pattern. During the installation process of the embodiment example shown in FIG. 2, the object 19 passed the detection apparatus three times to define the limit values. The distance value was entered manually by an operator of the detection apparatus 11 in coordination with the first and second limit values defined in this way and is thus defined by the detection apparatus 11.

[0052] Furthermore, the detection apparatus 11 is configured to compare the volume of the sound influenced by the object 19 with the three respective first reference patterns and the pitch of the sound influenced by the object 19 with the three respective second reference patterns and to reject the identification depending on a match of the comparison. An identification can hereby, for example, be rejected again if the comparison reveals that the detection took place incorrectly, whereby the risk of an incorrect identification can be reduced.

[0053] The detection apparatus 11 furthermore has a hardware interface (not shown) and is configured to output the identification via the hardware interface to an industrial system for locating the identified object 19 via the known location of the detection apparatus 11. Furthermore, the detection apparatus 11 comprises a housing 25, in which housing 25 the identification unit 13, the first microphone 21, the second microphone 23, the memory module and the hardware interface are arranged. This results in a particularly compact and simple design of the detection apparatus 11, wherein, furthermore, the installation effort is also reduced.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0054] 11 detection apparatus [0055] 13 identification unit [0056] light barrier [0057] 17 conveying device [0058] 19 object [0059] 21 first microphone [0060] 23 second microphone [0061] housing