US 11,875,522 B2
Method and devices for determining a filling level in at least one storage unit
Christian Bonsignore, Ludwigshafen (DE); Christian Schildknecht, Ludwigshafen (DE); Peter Schillen, Ludwigshafen (DE); Patrick Schindler, Ludwigshafen (DE); Edgar Matevosjan, Ludwigshafen (DE); Christoph Lungenschmied, Ludwigshafen (DE); Robert Send, Ludwigshafen (DE); and Ingmar Bruder, Ludwigshafen (DE)
Assigned to TRINAMIX GMBH, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
Appl. No. 17/050,899
Filed by trinamix GmbH, Ludwigshafen am Rhein (DE)
PCT Filed May 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/061829
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 27, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/215237, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 14, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18171413 (EP), filed on May 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0326593 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. G06T 7/586 (2017.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC G06T 7/586 (2017.01) [G01S 17/89 (2013.01); G06F 2218/02 (2023.01); G06F 2218/08 (2023.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining a filling level in at least one storage unit, the method comprising:
a) illuminating a storage unit with at least one illumination pattern comprising a plurality of illumination features and determining at least one reflection image of the storage unit;
b) selecting at least one first reflection feature and at least one second reflection feature of the at least one reflection image;
c) for the at least one first reflection feature, generating at least two first sensor signals in response to an illumination of at least one sensor element having a matrix of optical sensors by the at least one first reflection feature, and for the at least one second reflection feature, generating at least two second sensor signals in response to an illumination of the at least one sensor element by the at least one second reflection feature, the matrix of optical sensors each having a light-sensitive area;
d) evaluating the at least two first sensor signals generated in step c), thereby, determining at least one first longitudinal coordinate of the at least one first reflection feature, and evaluating the at least two second sensor signals generated in step c), thereby, determining at least one second longitudinal coordinate of the at least one second reflection feature,
e) determining at least one position of the at least one first reflection feature and at least one position of the at least one second reflection feature in the at least one reflection image and determining at least one first vector of the at least one first reflection feature and at least one second vector of the at least one second reflection feature; and
f) determining from the at least one first vector and the at least one second vector at least one elevation map and determining therefrom the filling level in the at least one storage unit.