Volumetric estimation methods, devices, and systems

1. An apparatus for calibrating a volumetric estimation device for determining dimensions of an object, comprising:

at least a first laser source and a second laser source, each, generating a laser beam to project at least two laser lines onto an object at a known distance from a respective point of laser projection, to form a rectangular calibration target having crossline locations on at least a portion of the object;

a camera for capturing an image of the rectangular calibration target projected onto the object, the camera having a camera image plane and a camera image plane centre point;

a processor configured to calibrate the camera to measure camera distortion effects to generate a filter to remove the distortion effects so that the camera approximates a pinhole camera model;

wherein the camera image plane centre point and the points of projection of the laser sources generating projected crosslines are not collinear so that at least one of a first distance between the camera image plane centre point and a first laser source and a second distance between the camera image plane centre and a second laser source is unknown; and

wherein the processor is further configured to: utilise locations of laser projected crosslines in camera images to calculate a deviation angle of the at least one of the laser beams from a direction perpendicular to the camera image plane and the distance between the camera image plane centre point and each laser source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to combine and process coordinates of the crosslines.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein two or more images acquired by a camera of the projected laser crosslines, fall on objects at known distances away from the camera, and the processor is further configured, from the two or more images, to use the locations of crosslines to calculate the deviation angles of the laser beam from a direction perpendicular to the camera image plane and the distances between the camera image plane centre point and laser sources.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a scale to weigh the object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reader to read an identifying code on the object.

6. A method for calibrating a volumetric estimation device for determining dimensions of an object comprising:

generating a laser beam to project by each of at least a first laser source and a second laser source at least two laser lines onto an object at a known distance from a respective point of laser protection, to form a rectangular calibration target having crossline locations on at least a portion of the object;

capturing by a camera an image of the rectangular calibration target projected onto the object, the camera having a camera image plane and a camera image plane centre point; measuring camera distortion effects;

generating a filter to remove the camera distortion effects so that the camera approximates a pinhole camera model, wherein the camera image plane centre point and the points of projection of the laser sources are not collinear so that at least one of a first distance between the camera image plane centre point and a first laser source and a second distance between the camera image plane centre and a second laser source is unknown; and

calculating, based on locations of laser projected crosslines in camera images, a deviation angle of the at least one of the laser beams from a direction perpendicular to the camera image plane and the distance between the camera image plane centre point and laser source.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising combining and processing the coordinates of the crosslines.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein two or more images acquired by a camera of the projected laser crosslines, fall on objects at known distances away from the camera, and the method further comprises calculating, based on the locations of crosslines from the two or more images, the deviation angles of the laser beam from a direction perpendicular to the camera image plane and the distances between the camera image place centre and laser sources.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the object is a shipment item.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises determining at least one dimension of the object based on the deviation angle of the laser beam from a direction perpendicular to the camera image plane and the distance between the camera image plane centre point and laser source.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises storing the at least one dimension of the object in a database.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises identifying the object.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises calculating an effective baseline based on the deviation angle.