Patent Abstract:
In general terms, the present invention provides a method of automatically scanning an inventory field to allow the selection of a desired item for retrieval. A camera is positioned in the crane trolley located above the field. The camera continuously performs a scan of the field displaying an image to the operator of the items being scanned. This real-time image allows the operator to distinguish between items scanned in the field. The operator can subsequently choose the desired item triggering the camera system to automatically capture desired information from the item which is in turn communicated to an inventory control system. The camera system mitigates the requirement of a second individual to communicate information between the field and the operator.

Full Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/202,188 filed on Aug. 12, 2005, which claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 60/601,183 filed on Aug. 13, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for remotely reading an identifier on an object. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Items produced in a manufacturing environment will typically be stored in a warehouse for shipping at a later date. A shipping warehouse will typically house a plurality of products, which are made by differing processes or have different characteristics. This collection of warehouse items may be referred to as the ‘field’. The field can be substantially large and therefore may be organized into a set of defined locations resembling a ‘grid’. The warehouse items are placed at appropriate locations within the grid and these locations are recorded, creating a mapping of the items for subsequent rearrangement or retrieval. A shipping order will typically comprise a combination of dissimilar items from this field requiring this combination of items to be located and collected to complete the shipping order. This shipping order is sometimes referred to as a shipping manifest or lift ticket. Further to gathering items for a shipping order, it may be necessary or beneficial to rearrange or move around the items in the field to optimize floor space or to enable a more efficient arrangement of the items. 
     When the items manufactured are of substantial dimension and weight, it is typically necessary to retrieve the items from the field using an overhead crane or similar device capable of lifting and transporting items of such dimension and weight. The use of an overhead crane requires the operator of the crane to either be placed at a remote location relative to the field (in the cab of a crane for example) or to operate the crane with a remote control device at field level. When the operator is at a remote distance, the operator may be unable to distinguish between items in the field that are required for a given shipping order. This situation is of particular concern where items are of similar shape but different characteristics, such as in the steel industry where coils of stock that are produced with differing specifications appear similar, especially when viewed from a distance. If the operator uses a remote control device to operate the crane, navigating the field while moving the crane, and reading and scanning the items becomes quite cumbersome for one person. Furthermore, the use of one person at the field level to control the crane, identify the items of interest and scan the item becomes cumbersome due the need for multiple devices to both control the crane and scan the item. 
     If the crane operator is remotely located relative to the field, a second individual is required to identify the existence and position of the desired items at the field level, to scan the desired items and communicate this information to the operator. The communication between the two individuals is required to identify the item of interest for rearrangement or shipping purposes. 
     The use of two individuals to gather items in a shipping order tends to be both inefficient and labour intensive given the task to be completed. In the steel industry where the items in the field are of substantial size and weight, the individual assigned to track the appropriate items at the field level would find the method of scanning to be not only time consuming but also dangerous. The inadvertent movement of large items on the field poses a threat to the safety of the individual at the field level and the large area of the field does not lend itself to an efficient method for identifying the desired items in the shipping order. 
     In the steel industry where the items in the field are large coils, typically the individual at the field level manually scans a barcode found on a tag affixed to the coil. This introduces a possibility for human error. The human error can lead to the processing of incorrect coils, which could possibly generate an incorrect shipment to the customer. Further to the time-related inefficiencies and inherent safety risk, the use of a field level individual requires additional floor space for the above-mentioned navigation of the field. By eliminating the use of a floor operator, less floor space would be required. This is due to a reduction in the required size of the lane ways between adjacent coils. Space is then only required to accommodate the jaws of the crane&#39;s picker. This requires an apparatus capable of viewing the field from a distance. 
     To remotely view labels and barcodes, it has been known to use a camera mounted in a fixed position whereby movement of an item into the field-of-view of the camera allows for remote viewing of a label. This method however requires the position of the labels to be known and the correct item to have been picked by the crane in advance of the camera scan. 
     Another method of reading labels and barcodes remotely involves a moveable camera capable of tilting, panning and zooming to focus on a desired label or barcode. This method however, requires additional operations to be manually executed by the operator of the crane to identify not only the item of interest but also to correctly centre and zoom in on the label for reading. These additional operator interactions impose an additional opportunity for human error. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms, one aspect of the present invention provides a method for remotely scanning objects including the steps of using an imaging system to display an image of the objects on an interface, receiving a location input related to an identification tag which is attached to a desired object based on a location in the image, using the location input to orient the imaging system towards the identification tag, magnifying the identification tag, analysing the image using an array of two-dimensional sensors to determine the deviation of the tag within the image with respect to a preferred position, aligning the tag by adjusting the orientation; and reading information identifying characteristics of the desired object provided by the identification tag. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a system for remotely scanning objects comprising an imaging system positioned remotely from the objects and arranged to image the objects. The imaging system has an adjustable lens for magnifying the image. The system also comprises an interface for displaying an image of the objects and is adapted for receiving a location input for an identification tag attached to a desired object based on a location in the image. The system also comprises a processor connected to the imaging system and the interface. The processor uses the location input to orient the imaging system towards the tag, commands the adjustable lens to magnify the tag, analyses the image using an array of two dimensional sensors to determine the deviation of the tag within the image with respect to a preferred position, aligns the tag by adjusting the orientation of the imaging system, and reads information identifying characteristics of the desired object provided by the tag. 
     In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method for aligning a tag in an image, the tag being affixed to an object and having indicia thereon. The method has the steps of obtaining an image of the object having at least a portion of the tag visible in the image; arranging an array of two-dimensional sensors on the image; identifying markings in each of the sensors, the at least one marking indicative of the presence of a particular feature of the tag; computing an average position of the markings to determine a deviation of the average position from a preferred position; and aligning the tag in the image according to the deviation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the appended drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a remote crane barcode scanning system. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of a scanning camera. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the operator control interface within a crane cab. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the touchscreen transmitting an image of the field to the operator via the camera of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5   a  shows an inventory tag. 
         FIG. 5   b  is a representative schematic of the items identified by the camera system during an image analysis procedure. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of the system. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart representing one embodiment of the field scanning process. 
         FIG. 8  is an alternative embodiment of the remote crane barcode scanning system of  FIG. 1  utilising two cameras. 
         FIGS. 9   a - 9   d  are diagrams pictorially showing steps in a tag alignment procedure. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart illustrating the steps performed in the tag alignment procedure of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart illustrating steps that continue from the flowchart of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram showing a misaligned barcode using the tag alignment procedure in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 13  is a diagram showing yet another tag alignment procedure. 
         FIG. 14  is a screen shot of an embodiment of the operator interface shown in  FIG. 3  incorporating diagnostic features. 
         FIG. 15  is a screen shot of the embodiment of  FIG. 14  showing a laser rangefinder failure. 
         FIG. 16  is a screen shot of the embodiment of  FIG. 14  showing a camera connection failure. 
         FIG. 17  is a screen shot of a help menu. 
         FIG. 18  is a screen shot of a graphical help manual. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view showing an arrangement for the laser rangefinder system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of the underside of the trolley of  FIG. 1  incorporating an illumination system. 
         FIG. 21  is a screen shot of an advanced options menu. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring therefore to  FIG. 1 , an overhead crane system  10  is positioned above a field of inventory  20 , the inventory in this embodiment being coils  22  of steel varying in specification. The coils  22  are initially placed in the field  20  and the respective positions of the coils  22  in the field  20  recorded using a range finder system  13  or other means. Each position may then be correlated to its respective coil  22  using the system  10  or other suitable methods. The correlation of position to coil  22  enables an operator of the system  10  to at a later time target a particular area of the field in order to locate and scan the coil  22  to determine if it remains at its recorded position. 
     The overhead crane system  10  includes a trolley  12  mounted upon a bridge  26  and has a communication connection to an operator cab  18 , preferably over a festoon cable to accommodate movement of the trolley  12  relative to the cab  18 . The cab  18  is situated in a fixed position at one end of the bridge  26 . An inventory control system  24  includes location coordinates and inventory information, and also has a communication connection with the operator cab  18 . The trolley  12  includes a set of motors  28  to facilitate translation of the trolley  12  along the bridge  26 . Typically the bridge  26  is mounted on rails  25  transverse to the bridge  26  allowing the bridge  26  to translate fore and aft along the rails  25 . 
     Translation of the bridge  26  and the trolley  12  in the directions indicated allows the trolley  12  to access objects located anywhere in the field  20 . The trolley  12  furthermore includes a picker  16  for vertically hoisting coils  22  from the field  20 , a camera system  14 , and the range finder system  13  having separate range finders for locating the trolley&#39;s position along each axis of the field  20 . 
     In one arrangement shown in  FIG. 19 , a first range finder  13   a  is mounted on the bridge  26  and is aligned in the y-direction with a first reflection plate  301 . The reflection plate  301  is mounted on a wall  300  parallel to the length of the bridge  26 . A second range finder  13   b  is mounted at one end of the bridge  26  and opposite the trolley  12  such that it will remain fixed in the y-direction irrespective of the position of the bridge  26 . The range finder  13   b  is aligned in the x-direction with a second reflection plate  306  that is mounted to the trolley  12  and that is parallel to a wall  304  which is in turn perpendicular to the wall  300 . It will be appreciated that any arrangement can be used that is capable of determining both x and y coordinates. 
     The range finder  13   a  transmits a laser beam  302  that reflects off of the reflection plate  301  and returns to the range finder  13   a  in order to measure the current x-coordinate for the bridge  26  and trolley  12 . The second range finder  13   b  transmits a second laser beam  306  that reflects off of the reflection plate  305  and returns to the range finder  13   b  in order to measure the current y-coordinate for the trolley  12 . The range finders  13   a ,  13   b  are connected to the system  10  and provide an ongoing measurement of the position of the trolley  12  in the field  20  for correlating a particular coil  22  to a particular location as explained in further detail below. 
     The camera system  14  can be seen in greater detail when referring to  FIG. 2 . The camera system&#39;s components are housed within a casing  36  and this casing  36  is mounted to the underside of the trolley  12 . A zoom lens  32  of a camera  34  protrudes beyond the lower surface of the casing  36 , which is partially open and covered by a transparent acrylic enclosure  30 . The camera  34  is preferably a “smart” camera, which is a camera having a microprocessor capable of processing image data. This functionality enables the camera  34  to process information related to the coils  22 , that are acquired in an image. 
     The processing may also be done remotely from the camera  34  in a separate processor. The acrylic enclosure  30  allows movement of the zoom lens  32  within its volume and is transparent, allowing the lens  32  to capture images. The camera  34  is controlled by a pan/tilt mechanism  40 . The pan/tilt mechanism  40  can orient the camera  34  using various pan and tilt operations in order to point the camera  34  towards a desired area of the field  20 . A motor  38  is incorporated within the pan/tilt mechanism  40  and controls its movements. The motor  38  is controlled by an electronic controller  33  which has a communication connection to the smart camera  34  or other system control computer (not shown). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 20 , the lens  32  of the camera system  32  has a field of view  310  that when properly focussed can image a barcode  60  on a coil  22 . In a shipping or storage facility, often regions of the facility have poor or uncontrolled ambient light and in some cases having no ambient light is preferable. In order to most effectively capture an image of the barcode  60 , an adequate amount of ambient light should be provided at least in the region of the camera lens&#39; field of view  310 . As seen in  FIG. 20 , a localized illuminated region  312  is provided by an illumination system  308  mounted to the underside of the trolley  12 , whereby, as the camera system  14  moves, so does the illumination system  308 . It will be appreciated that the light can be arranged in any suitable configuration with respect to the camera system  32  and should not be limited to only the configuration shown in  FIG. 20 . 
       FIG. 20  shows the illumination system in isolation. The system  308  comprises four linear light arrays. Preferably, a pair of red LED linear lights  314 ,  315  sandwich a pair of infrared LED linear lights  316 ,  317 . The red LEDs  314 ,  315  are arranged above the picker  16  and aimed at the underlying coil  22  to illuminate that coil  22  and the surrounding floor of the field  20  at all times. The infrared LED lights  316 ,  317  are preferably synchronized with the camera&#39;s exposure time during readings and are normally off when not scanning to prolong their lifespan. Therefore, it can be seen that even in low or non-existent ambient light conditions, the region directly below the camera system  14  is provided with sufficient illumination to enable a useful image to be captured. It will be appreciated that any colour of LED can be used and should not be limited to red. Suitable linear lights are those produced by Spectrum Illumination™. 
     The interface located within the operator cab  18  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The cab  18  contains a computer interface  50  which includes a touchscreen  54 . A control console  52  allows the operator to control manually, the movements of the trolley  12 . 
     To obtain maximum control and flexibility, an industrial PC can be used for the computer interface  50  that runs a visual basic (VB) API  400  (see  FIG. 14 ). The industrial PC integrates, via serial and Ethernet ports, all the communication elements and displays the camera feeds. A typical industrial PC has five serial ports and can be made responsible for the touch screen input, the x and y laser range finder inputs, the barcode output, and the location output. The Ethernet port can be connected to the local camera network for the camera system  14  that is used to display the camera feeds while sending and receiving information from the cameras. The VB interface can continuously calculate and update the location and can output the barcode and location information to the inventory system  24  as described in greater detail below. The VB interface can also be used to automatically control the camera zoom and focus algorithms to accommodate changing floor levels. The flexibility that is inherent in using a platform such as VB advanced lens control can be implemented to control the iris, focus and zoom levels to accommodate abnormally sized barcode tags and for calibrating a new system  10 . 
     Making reference now to  FIG. 4 , the touchscreen  54  displays the images acquired by the camera system  14 . These images show objects in the field  20  and in this particular example are coils of steel  22 . The coils  22  are of differing specifications, and information pertaining to the coil  22  is stored on a tag  60 . The tags  60  are intended to be affixed to the upward facing surfaces of the coils  22  typically in an unspecified manner and therefore do not appear at consistent locations on the upward facing surfaces of the coils  22  or in consistent orientations thereon. The information found on the tag  60  is unreadable from the distance that the operator is located and therefore must be magnified by the camera system  14 . A tag  60  is shown in  FIG. 5   a . The tag  60  includes a barcode  64 , a numerical code  66  and a set of alignment markers  62 . An alignment marker  62  is located in the proximity of each of the four corners of the barcode  64 . One alignment marker  62   a  is dissimilar to the other alignment markers  62   b ,  62   c ,  62   d . The dissimilar alignment marker  62   a  is used by the camera system  14  to determine the orientation of the tag  60  in the image. The orientation of the tag  60  allows the camera system  14  to choose the appropriate direction to perform the barcode scan. 
     In  FIG. 5   a , the dissimilar marker  62   a  is located in the top-left portion of the image with respect to the other markers  62   b ,  62   c ,  62   d . The dissimilar marker  62   a  includes a triangular notch which points towards the centre of the barcode  64 . The remaining three markers are triangular in shape and are rotated 90° with respect to each other such that they each point towards the centre of the barcode  64 . The alignment markers  62  are located at substantially equal distances from the centre of the barcode  64 . These distances are known proportions of the tag&#39;s size (for instance a proportion of the width). These proportions and the tag size itself are programmed into the camera system  14 . The camera system  14  can use the width of the tag  60  seen in the image to establish scale. Distances can be measured from the alignment markers  62  based on the established scale, the known proportions and the resolution of the camera system  14 . The barcode  64  and the numerical code  66  contains identification information pertaining to the coil  22  to which the tag  60  is affixed. 
     The communication connections are schematically shown in  FIG. 6 . The electronic controller  33  includes a zoom controller  82  operating the zoom lens  32  and a pan/tilt controller  84  operating the pan/tilt mechanism  40 . The controller  82  commands the motors  38  (not shown) facilitating the movement of the zoom lens  32  (or  32   b  in a two camera system—explained later). The controller  84  commands the motors  38  facilitating the movement of the pan/tilt mechanism  40 . In this particular embodiment, the inventory control system  24  is connected to the operator interface  50  via a wireless Ethernet link  80 . It will be appreciated that any of the communication connections described herein may be hard wired or wireless. It will also be appreciated that the touchscreen  50  and operator interface may alternatively be located away from the crane at a remote location, and operated via the communication link  80 . In such an arrangement, control of the crane and the picker  16  can be performed from any location. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , an automatic scanning process  100  involves a continuous scan of the coil field  102 . Referring also to  FIG. 1 , the camera system  14  is mounted on the underside of the trolley  12  and therefore scans the field  20  below as the operator navigates the trolley  12 . Images captured are displayed to the operator  104  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Coils  22  are observed during this scanning process  100  and the operator must decide whether the coil  22  shown is of interest for reading  106 . If the coil  22  is not of interest to the operator, the operator will continue to monitor the image  104  until a coil  22  does appear that is of interest for reading. When a coil  22  appears that is of interest, the operator first indicates whether the coil  22  is situated at a relative far position such as on the floor or at a relative near position such as being mounted in a secured and elevated position on a truck bed. This is done by selecting a “Near” setting or “Far” setting on the touchscreen  54 . The settings represent the nominal magnifications required by the camera system  14  to be able to read a tag  60  at the corresponding distance. It will be appreciated that there may be any number of magnification levels that can be chosen and should not be limited to only “Near” and “Far” settings. The operator then selects the coil  108  by touching the image of the particular coil  22  at the position which its tag  60  appears on the touchscreen  54 . 
     It will be appreciated that the camera system  14  may also use the range finder system  13  to determine where the trolley  12  is in the building and whether it is over a floor area or a loading bay (truck mounted coils) to automatically adjust the magnification and focus to appropriate settings without operator input. 
     In such an embodiment, the arrangement shown in  FIG. 19  is preferably used along with a pre-stored lookup table that includes information pertaining to the floor layout of the field  20 . The two range finders  13   a ,  13   b  obtain the x and y coordinates of the shipping facility in real-time. The lookup table is used to determine if the (x, y) position is over the floor or a truck bed (as one example) and using this information, the system determines the appropriate zoom and focus for the particular coil  22  and instructs the motorized lens  32  accordingly. Similarly, when a coil  22  is first placed in the field  20 , its information can be correlated to the real time position to assign a floor grid location to that coil. Later, when the coil  22  is to be retrieved, an identifier for the coil  22  (e.g. on lift ticket) can be used to determine the location for the coil  22  and the system  10  can automatically position the camera in the vicinity of the coil of interest by tracking the real time coordinates. 
     At this point, the camera system  14  begins an identification process  109 . To begin, the camera system  14  is given a set of co-ordinates from the touchscreen  54  (or rangefinder system  13 ) representing the position selected by the operator (or automatically detected). These co-ordinates are measured relative to a datum wherein the scale of the image is known based on the wide view magnification used by the camera system  14  and the data provided by the range finder system  13 . The datum represents the centre of the field-of-view of the camera system  14 . The pan/tilt controller  84  then moves the camera system  14  aligning the datum with the given co-ordinates  110  which places the tag  60  substantially within the centre of the field-of-view of the camera system  14 . The camera system  14  also uses the data from the range finder system  13  to map the trolley&#39;s position within the field  20  to the given co-ordinates. This provides the inventory control system  24  with a floor grid location to be associated with the tag&#39;s information. 
     This first movement  110  by the pan/tilt mechanism  40  provides a coarse adjustment for centering the tag  60 . Following this pan/tilt operation  110 , the camera system  14  commands the zoom controller  82  to perform a zoom operation  112 , providing an enlarged image of the tag  60 . The zoom controller  82  has two predetermined magnifications, one for the “Near” option and one for the “Far” option. Since the tags  60  are presumably affixed to the coils  22  on the upward facing surface, tags  60  with similar designation (specifically “Near” or “Far”) will be at a substantially similar distance from the camera system  14 . If the operator had selected “Far”, the zoom controller  82  magnifies the image to its “Far” setting. If the operator had selected “Near”, the zoom controller  82  magnifies the image to its “Near” setting which requires less magnification than the “Far” setting since the coils  22  are positioned closer to the camera system  14 . Due to curvature of the upward facing surface of the coils  22 , tags  60  of similar designation may be affixed at slightly varying distances. The zoom controller  82  performs minor focusing at this point if necessary to provide adequate sharpness of the image. 
     It will be appreciated that the camera system  14  may also use a depth measurement device such as an ultrasonic range finder to determine the distance between the tag  60  and the camera system  14 . This would allow the zoom controller  82  to choose specific magnifications for each tag  60 . This may be necessary in situations where the dimensions of the objects being selected vary substantially. 
     Following the zoom operation  112 , the camera system  14  performs an alignment adjustment operation  114 . Referring now to  FIG. 5   b , the camera system  14  analyses the image and identifies the location and orientation of each of the alignment markers  62  on the tag  60  using an object-finding routine built into the software used by the imaging system, e.g. smart camera software, and previously programmed to identify markers  62  having a particular size and shape. 
     The camera system  14  determines the position of the dissimilar marker  62   a  relative to the other markers and this position dictates the relative orientation of the tag  60  and subsequently the barcode scan direction. If the dissimilar marker  62   a  is the upper-leftmost of the markers  62  (as shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b ) the camera system  14  determines that a left-right horizontal scan is required. If the dissimilar marker  62   a  is the upper-rightmost of the markers  62  the camera system  14  determines that a top-bottom vertical scan is required. If the dissimilar marker  62   a  is the lower-leftmost of the markers  62  the camera system  14  determines that a bottom-top vertical scan is required. If the dissimilar marker  62   a  is the lower-rightmost of the markers  62  the camera system  14  determines that a right-left horizontal scan is required. 
     Using the locations of the markers  62 , the camera system  14  then approximates the centre of the barcode  64 . Firstly, since the relative orientation of the tag  60  has been determined, the camera system can measure the width of the tag  60  along the appropriate direction in the image  70 . Furthermore, since the actual width of the tag  60  and the camera system&#39;s resolution is known, the camera system  14  can correlate pixel width in the image to the actual width on the tag  60 . Each marker is a particular distance from the centre of the barcode  64  and is a proportion of the tag&#39;s width. The distance is measured along a line in the direction that the marker  62   b  is pointing and is typically perpendicular to the outermost edge of the marker  62   b  relative to the barcode  64 . Based on the proportion of the tag&#39;s width, the actual distance on the tag  60  is converted to a number of pixels in the image. This pixel length is then converted to a set of pixel co-ordinates relative to the marker  62   b . Using these relative pixel co-ordinates, the centre of the barcode  64  is approximated and a mark  74  is recorded by the camera system  14 . This process is repeated for the other three alignment marks  62   a,c,d  and the average position  72  of the four marks  74  is calculated and its position is recorded by the camera system  14 . These markings are shown in  FIG. 5   b.    
     The camera system  14  uses the position of the average centre mark  72  to determine whether the centre mark  72  lies within a window  76  of acceptable positions surrounding the centre of the image  70 . If the average centre mark  72  is within the acceptable window  76 , the barcode  64  can be read. If the average centre mark  72  is not within this window  76 , the pan/tilt controller  84  commands the pan/tilt mechanism  40  to adjust the camera system  14  thereby placing the average centre mark  72  within the acceptable window  76  of the analysed image  70 . This alignment of the average centre mark  72  ensures the entire barcode  64  is visible in the image  70  and therefore can be properly scanned. 
     With the tag  60  magnified  112 , properly aligned (per step  114 ), and its orientation known, a barcode string is generated by the camera system  14  by scanning the bar code  116 . The direction of the scan is based on the determined orientation of the tag  60 . This barcode string is sent to the operator interface  50  for comparison with the lift ticket  118 . If the information acquired does not match an item on the lift ticket, the coil  22  is rejected and the system  100  returns to the field level image for the operator to make another selection. If the barcode  64  does match an item on the lift ticket, the camera system  14  returns to a wider view to allow the coil  22  to be grabbed and lifted by the operator  119  using the crane&#39;s picker  16 . The automatic scanning process  100  is reinitialised  120  once a coil has been lifted  119  and resumes scanning the coil field  102  until the next operator selection. The system  10  may then interface with the inventory control system  24  to update the stock of coils  22  and process a shipping ticket for delivery of an order of coils  22 . 
     Therefore, the system  10  enables the identification, scanning and retrieval of objects in a field of inventory from a remote location requiring only a single input from an operator. The operator may remotely scan a collection of the objects and select an object of interest based on a predetermined location for that object. This can be done through an input such as touching the image on a touchscreen to indicate the location of an identifier on the object. The imaging system  14  may then automatically magnify the identifier based on the input, and automatically perform an alignment procedure to orient the identifier according to a desired orientation. The system  14  then automatically reads the identifier, e.g. by scanning a barcode  64 , and uses information provided by the identifier to confirm the location of the object for processing shipping orders, and update an inventory system  24  accordingly. Only a single operator input using a touch or point of a mouse is needed to execute the above procedure. This effectively replaces a manual pan/tilt/focus/zoom operation with a single initial input. 
     In a further embodiment of the present invention, the camera system  14  utilises two smart cameras  32   a ,  32   b  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The pair of cameras  32   a ,  32   b  are mounted together on the pan/tilt mechanism  40  similar to the apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 . The first camera  32   a  is at a fixed magnification and provides a constant overall image of the coils  22  as they are being scanned. The second camera  32   b  is equipped with a motorised zoom lens similar to the camera lens  32  in the previous embodiment. In this configuration, the second camera  32   b  maintains a magnification close to the level at which a tag  60  can be read and requires only minor magnification adjustments once the pan/tilt mechanism  40  aligns the second camera  32   b  with the selected tag  60 . 
     The use of two smart cameras  32   a ,  32   b  eliminates the delay time caused by the long zoom stroke being required to increase the magnification from a wide view of the field  20  to a zoomed view of a barcode  64 . While the camera system  14  scans the field  20 , the touchscreen  54  displays an image of the field from the fixed camera  32   a . When the operator selects a tag  60  on the touchscreen  54 , the touchscreen  54  then displays an image from the second camera  32   b  while it centres the tag  60 . Since the tags  60  may be affixed at varying distances, the second camera  32   b  will make necessary minor adjustments to achieve the desired magnification while centering takes place. Both cameras  32   a ,  32   b  are mounted on the pan/tilt mechanism  40 , and thus move together to maintain a constant relationship of the location of the tag view within the field of view of the fixed camera  32   b.    
     During operation, one camera (e.g.  32   a ) is designated as a field camera, and the other camera (i.e.  32   b ) is used at the tag camera for reading barcodes. The field camera  32   a  has a fixed focal length, aperture and focus settings. The image size, and depth of field are set so that all coils  22 , no matter what height, are in focus. The overview image is provided to the operator, so that they can select the location (i.e. barcode tag) to enable the tag camera  32   b  to locate the tag  60  for reading the barcode  64 . The field camera  32   a  monitors the output of the user interface touchscreen  50 , looking for tag identification “touches” or other suitable commands to indicate such identification. 
     Once the barcode  64  has been identified by the operator, the camera  32   a  attempts to identify the barcode  64  and locate its center, to thereby increase the accuracy of the pointing instruction to the pan/tilt mechanism  40 . If the attempt fails, the pan/tilt command defaults to the exact position that the operator touched. Once the pointing operation is complete, the field camera  32   a  flags the tag camera  32   b  to begin the tag reading process. 
     The tag camera  32   b  has a motorized zoom lens, which is capable of adjusting image size, aperture (brightness and depth of field), and focus (object height). Image size is set by the operator, who may specify whether the coil is on the floor or on a truck bed as explained above. The aperture is held constant, and focus may be scanned to optimize image sharpness for the barcode read. 
     The tag image may be provided to the operator for manual centering using the touchscreen  50 , or to be able to read the tag number in case the barcode is unreadable. The tag camera  32   b  operates to execute the identification process  109  described above. It will be appreciated that the camera  32   b  may process the image with an internal processor or may send images to an off-camera processor for processing. 
     It will be appreciated that the second embodiment described herein includes all of the features of the previous embodiment with an increased zoom speed imparted by use of a pair of smart cameras  32   a ,  32   b  shown in  FIG. 8 , and described above. 
     The identification process  109 , particularly the alignment step  114  described above is most accurate when reading tags  60  that are affixed to objects have a substantially planar upwardly facing surface, or when the tags  60  are more or less ensured to be affixed such that their alignment is substantially parallel to the floor  20 . When tags  60  are affixed to rolls of steel  22 , the inherent curvature of the upward facing surface of the roll often places the tag  60  at a difficult angle for viewing the alignment markers  62  described above, e.g. when the tags are positioned on a sloping surface of the roll  22 . 
     An alternative procedure for aligning a tag  160  is shown in  FIGS. 9   a - 9   d  and  10 - 11 , which is most suitable for centering tags  160  that are likely to be affixed to an object having a sloping surface. In this embodiment, like elements are given like numerals with the prefix “1”. 
     An image  154  may be obtained according to steps  102 - 112  shown in  FIG. 7 , using either the one-camera or two-camera system. The following description is directed towards a two-camera system, but should hold true for a single camera system with different zoom levels, since different zoom levels are inherently at different resolutions. In a two-camera system, when the field camera  32   a  sends instructions to the pan/tilt mechanism  40  to center the tag camera  32   b  on a barcode, it is common for the tag  160  to be off-center in the tag camera&#39;s field of view. This occurs because the resolution of the tag camera  32   b  is typically much greater than that of the field camera  32   a , and thus, a single pixel shift (horizontal or vertical) command to the pan/tilt mechanism  40  from the field camera  32   a , translates to a several pixel shift in the field of view of the tag camera  32   b.    
     As shown in  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c , a portion of the barcode  64  may be cut-off in the image  154 , as well as some of the alignment markers  62 . The alternative procedure shown in  FIGS. 9   a - 9   d  enable the tag camera  32   b  to be repositioned in order to orient the barcode  64  such that it is visible for subsequent scanning (i.e. in a desired orientation). Preferably, the centering operation is executed for each scan, regardless of the accuracy of the coarse adjustment caused by the “touch” of the operator. When a tag  160  is accurately centered after the coarse adjustment, only a minor additional time overhead is required, however, when the tag  160  is substantially off-center, the procedure can save several seconds from the read operation when compared to having the operator initiate a manual re-centering. 
     The alternative procedure for aligning tags  160  uses a series of virtual sensors implemented in a software routine to conduct scans along defined paths in the image  154  to identify or “sense” segments. Segments are regions of similar intensity, differentiated from other regions by an intensity gradient, which is preferably user selectable. Each scan effectively causes a “soft” sensor to interrogate the image and mark or identify segments that it intersects. Preferably, three concentric sensors are used. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9   a , three sensors each scan an oval path (inner  202 , mid  204 , outer  206 ) to define concentric zones arranged from the center of the image  200  out to the edges of the image field. A marker  208  is placed on the image within each segment identified by a sensor. The number of these points in the image is indicative of distribution of segments in the image. 
     A well centered tag  160  should produce an equal distribution of segments, and thus markers  208 , about the center of the image  154 , such as that shown in  FIG. 9   d . In such a case, the segment positions would then cancel each other out, to produce an average position of the segments, near center  200 . A tag  160  that is towards one side of the image field, e.g.  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c , will cause an imbalance in the number of segments on that side, resulting in the average segment position being shifted towards that half of the image  154 . In  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c , the barcode  164  is located towards the bottom right portion of the image  154 , and reports a large number of small segments in that area. Small segments are segments that are of a particular size, measured in pixels, e.g. &lt;10 pixels, and are likely to indicate the presence of a barcode bar (white or black). An average  215  of the position of these small segments, measured from the center  200  computes a vector  214  (see  FIG. 9   b ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 9   c , a horizontal sensor  210  and vertical sensor  212  can also be used to provide greater accuracy. These sensors scan along the image at the average position  215  as shown in  FIG. 9   c , and are used to adjust the average position  215 , to determine a second average position  217 , that better represents the centre of the barcode  164 . A second vector  216  is then produced that more accurately reflects the offset of the barcode  164 . For a horizontal barcode, e.g.  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c , the oval segmentation sensors  202 - 206  would provide the vertical offset, and the horizontal sensor  210 , the horizontal offset. Similarly, for a vertical barcode (not shown), the oval sensors would provide the horizontal offset, and the vertical sensor  212 , the vertical offset. 
     The following describes the alternative procedure for aligning the tag  160 , in greater detail, making reference to  FIGS. 9   a - 9   c ,  10  and  11 . In the image  154  shown in  FIG. 9   a , the three oval sensors  202 - 206  are configured to mark segments that are at least 5 pixels in size, which is the typical width of the smallest barcode bar. It will be appreciated that this procedure may be used for aligning other indicia such as an alpha-numeric string, wherein the threshold of 5 pixels may be adjusted to recognize, e.g., the smallest possible character width. 
     An edge contrast may be used to identify barcode segments, and is determined through experimentation during an initial calibration. A suitable range is 7-15%, which is high enough to ignore minor noisy segments, but low enough to pick as many valid barcode segments at a relatively poor focus as possible. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the alignment procedure is executed, a script examines each segmentation sensor  202 - 206  in turn, and determines the number of segments identified by each sensor. First, the sensor of interest is chosen, e.g. starting with sensor  202 , and the number of segments is then determined and compared to a threshold, e.g. 10. If the number of segments is less than 10, chances are that there is no barcode intersecting the sensor  202 , just background noise. In  FIG. 9   a , it can be seen that sensor  202  has only 1 segment, and would therefore be ignored in calculating the offset of the tag  160 . However, the next sensor, e.g.  204 , clearly has more than 10 segments, and would therefore be used to calculate the average segment position  215  (shown in  FIG. 9   b ). 
     Since segments on a barcode  164  should not, ideally, be larger than a certain threshold, e.g. approximately 10 pixels, those that are larger than the threshold are ignored, eliminating stray segments, background segments etc. This ignores the curvature of the path in which the sensors may perform their scan. An oval path may report a larger segment width since the path in which it travels may not traverse the segment along the shortest path. This would result in a measured segment width that is larger than that of the segment&#39;s true size. Segments can also be identified as larger than they truly are, if adjacent barcode bars are missed due to poor focus etc. The threshold is chosen to accommodate operational variations. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 9   a  and  10  specifically, since sensor  202  has been ignored, sensor  204  is next analysed. There are greater than 10 segments according to the image  154  in  FIG. 9   a , therefore, the first segment is selected, and its size determined. If the segment selected is smaller than the threshold, i.e., 10 pixels or less, its coordinates are saved to include in the average position. This is repeated until each segment has been analysed. As long as at least one of the segments has not been determined as “bad”, i.e., above threshold, an average horizontal and vertical position are determined based on all coordinates saved during the analysis. 
     The above process is repeated for each sensor, which in the example shown in  FIG. 9   a  would involve one more iteration to evaluate sensor  206 . If it was determined that all sensors were ignored, the aggregate average position is set to the center  200 . If at least one of the segments has not been ignored, an aggregate average position  215  using all included sensors (these are shown in isolation in  FIG. 9   b ), and all included segment positions is found. This calculation produces vector  214  shown in  FIG. 9   b.    
     Once all sensors have been analysed, the horizontal and vertical segmentation sensors may be used, as shown in isolation in  FIG. 9   c . It will be appreciated that using the horizontal  210  and vertical  212  sensors may be an optional procedure, however, the use thereof does provide a more accurate determination of the center of the barcode  164 . 
     The steps in using the horizontal  210  and vertical sensors  212  is shown in  FIG. 11 , making reference to  FIG. 9   c . The horizontal sensor  210  is placed along the image  154  at the average vertical position (i.e. Y coordinate of  215 ) determined according to  FIG. 10 . Similarly, the vertical sensor  212  is placed along the image  154  at the average horizontal position (i.e. X coordinate of  215 ). A script will determine which line sensor ( 210  or  212 ) has a greater number of segments, to decide whether the barcode  164  is oriented vertically or horizontally. It is clear from  FIG. 9   c  that the horizontal sensor  210  has a greater number of segments, and the barcode  164  is clearly oriented in a horizontal fashion. 
     In this example, since the horizontal sensor  210  has a greater number of segments, the process continues on the right hand path shown in  FIG. 11 . Once the proper sensor has been chosen, the number of segments identified by that sensor is determined, and if there are fewer segments than a particular threshold, the process is bypassed. In  FIG. 11 , that threshold is three (3) segments. If the horizontal sensor  210  has identified three or more segments, which in  FIG. 9   c  is true, a loop commences that measures the size of each segment, and if the segment is smaller than a threshold, e.g., 15 pixels, then the coordinates of that segment are to be included in the second average position  217 . Similar to the oval sensors, this process is repeated for each segment until all have been analysed. 
     If all segments were bad, the average X position is set to the X coordinate of center  200 , and if not, an average X position is computed for all included segments. Differential X and Y measurements are then calculated by subtracting the X coordinate of center  200  from the average X position and the Y coordinate of the center  200  from the average Y position. In this example, the average Y value remains the one calculated by the oval sensors. The differential measurements are then compared to respective thresholds, and if the differential measurements are not above those thresholds then the barcode  164  is within the suitable limits and a move is not required. If however at least one of the X or Y differential measurements are greater than its respective threshold, a second vector  216  extending from center  200  to the position dictated by the X differential and Y differential measurements, i.e.  217 , is computed. This vector  216  provides a better estimate of the center of the barcode in the horizontal direction, as shown in  FIG. 9   c.    
     It will be appreciated that the steps taken for measuring a vertical barcode are similar to those that have been described above, and therefore, need not be reiterated. 
     As long as at least one of the differential measurements is greater than its respective threshold, a pan/tilt operation will be performed by the pan/tilt mechanism  40 , which aligns the tag  160  within the image as shown in  FIG. 9   d . At this point, the imaging system  14  will analyse the image and determine if further adjustment is needed, or if a particular scan direction is needed. For example, the tag  160  is oriented “up-side-down”, and thus the barcode scan operation would need to take this into account. The imaging system  14  may then determine the up-down/left-right orientation and scan accordingly. 
     To achieve the most accurate results: a reasonable focus should be used so that the maximum number of barcode segments may be encountered; a reasonably consistent background is preferred, which is difficult to control, however should be considered; and if possible, having no other tags within the field of view of the cameras  32   a ,  32   b  is also preferred, to minimize confusion with the background. 
     It will be appreciated that the above alternative alignment procedure can be used in place of the procedure shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , and the choice of which procedure to use, is dependent on the application. For instance, in an application where the objects being scanned are rectangular, e.g., shipping containers, either alignment procedure is suitable. On the other hand, in applications where the objects are curved, e.g., rolls of steel, the alternative alignment procedure is more appropriate. 
     The tag alignment procedure shown in  FIG. 9  can be prone to mis-alignment in less than ideal conditions, e.g. where the tag  60  is out of focus. In many practical applications, the system performs a tag centering operation prior to focussing the tag, in order to reduce inspection time. If the system first performs the focus operation, it is likely in many instances that there is not a great deal of the barcode  60  in the image and thus will have to perform a tag centering procedure and then re-focus the tag. Ideally, the tag centering procedure should only be performed once since, every time the procedure executes, the inspection time increases and the inherent time delays due to mechanical movements are also increased. 
     In cases such as that shown in  FIG. 12 , poor focus and/or poor initial alignment can result in too few segments being detected. The resultant segmentation shown in  FIG. 12  would determine that the tag  260  is almost perfectly centred and no movements are necessary when in fact a correction is needed to align the tag  260 . Such a false positive can be attributed to the sensitivity of the line sensors and the poor image focus (poor focus not shown in  FIG. 12  in the interest of clarity). In order to overcome the potential shortcomings of the use of the procedure shown in  FIG. 9 , another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 13  can alternatively be used. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 13 , an array of square area segments  262  are evenly arranged throughout the image. Area sensors  262  are typically more robust than line sensors since, by definition, the sensors  262  detect within an area (i.e. 2-D) as opposed to only the pixels that are included in a 1-D line. Line sensors, as discussed above, detect single white-to-black-to-white transitions and thus depend a single 1-D transition. The area sensors  262  are capable of correlating 2-D boundaries in its respective area. 
     Each sensor  262  looks for 2-D segments of the same geometric property as a typical barcode strip having the same magnification (based on data that can be pre-stored). Each of the sensors  262  is associate with a respective offset value measured with respect to the origin (0, 0) of the image (e.g. centre). For example, the sensor  262  in row 1, column 1 (i.e. upper left corner) has an x-offset of −240 and a y-offset of −160, while the sensor  262  in row 2, column 3 has an x-offset of +80 and a y-offset of zero (0). If the number of 2-D segments detected in a particular area exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. 5), then its predetermined offsets are added to a total offset, which includes an average of all applicable offsets. The threshold is used to exclude sensors  262  such as row 2, column 2 whose segments do not contribute to identifying the location of the barcode  64  but may have detected other features of the tag  60 . 
     The predetermined offsets for all applicable sensors  262  are added together and averaged to determine an approximate total (x, y) offset. In the example shown in  FIG. 13 , sensors (1, 3), (1, 4), (2, 3) and (2, 4) contribute to the offset calculation and the approximate offset is found to be (160, −80), i.e. move the tag left by 160 pixels and down by 80 pixels. 
     Preferably, in order to fine tune the offset calculation, a horizontal line sensor  266  and a vertical line sensor  264  are placed at the approximate offset (e.g. 160, −80) and the segments detected along them are incorporated into the offset calculation. The line sensors  264 ,  266  are used to accommodate horizontally and vertically placed barcode tags  60 . The one that finds the most segments along its length (preferably subject to a predetermined threshold), determines the orientation of the tag (e.g. horizontal in  FIG. 13 ) and contributes to the final offset calculation. The average of all the segments found by the line sensors  264 ,  266  adds a fine adjustment to the approximate offset resulting in the final offset. In the example shown in  FIG. 13 , the final offset is (122, −106). 
     To create a true one-touch centering operation, and to reduce misreads, the cameras  34   a,b  can be instructed to return to their home position (aimed at the normal barcode position on a coil directly under the picker  16 ) and initial state (zoom, iris level, starting focus) when a preset idle time is exceeded after each read operation. While the operator moves to the next coil, the cameras can reset themselves for the next one-touch operation whereby the two cameras move together to a preset orientation under the control of the pan/tilt unit  34  and the adjustable lens returns to its “home” zoom position etc. 
     A screen shot of an application program interface (API)  400  provided on the touchscreen  54  is shown in  FIGS. 14-18  for the two-camera arrangement shown in  FIG. 8 . The API  400  provides a field view  401  from one lens  34   a  and tag view  403  from the other lens  34   b . The views  401 ,  403  preferably use a tab organization such that an operator can easily switch to an enlarged tag view  403  by simply touching the tag view tab. The API  400  also comprises a status bar  402  for indicating the current operation being performed by the system  10 . In  FIG. 14 , the status bar  402  instructs the user to press on a tag in the field view (see  FIG. 4 ) to begin the barcode read. Once the user presses the tag  60 , the centering and zoom operations are performed and an image of the tag  60  is provided in the tag view  403  where a centering operation takes place and the barcode is then read. Once the barcode  64  has been read, it will be displayed on a barcode display  404 . The laser rangefinders  13   a ,  13   b  continuously determine the (x, y) coordinates and correlate these to a floor location, which is shown in a location display  405 . 
     The API  400  also comprises a reset option  406  that is used to reload the software, a floor layout indicator  407  (showing “floor level” in  FIG. 14 ), an advanced option  408  for adjusting configuration settings, and a help option  409  that loads a graphical help manual (see  FIG. 18 ). 
     The API  400  checks its communication ports to see whether a continuous stream of data is being received from the laser range finders  13   a ,  13   b . A stop watch algorithm is used whereby each time a new set of data is received, the starting time is reset and the time elapsed returns to zero and starts over. If the ports remain inactive for a period of time (e.g. 10 seconds), the API  400  will display a troubleshooting window  410  giving an overview of the problem and possible causes and remedies as seen in  FIG. 15 . To attract the user&#39;s attention, the location display may change colour and the reset option  406  is highlighted to reflect a new set of commands when selected. 
     The troubleshooting window  410  first states the date, time and the problem encountered. This information is appended to an external log file for archiving. A sequential trouble shooting guide is then listed. Under normal operations ( FIG. 14 ), the reset button instructs the cameras  34   a,b  to resume their initial states and recalibrates the mechanical movements of the pan/tilt mechanism  40 . During an operational error such as that described above, the reset button  406  changes colour and pressing it reloads the API  400  instead of sending a command to the cameras  34   a,b  and pan/tilt mechanism  40 . The reload operation is to eliminate the possibility of a software glitch from the diagnostic tests. For example, the reload may indicate that a software glitch interrupted communications with the laser range finders  13   a ,  13   b  rather than a physical connection being lost which can save unnecessary troubleshooting. 
     The above-described polling progress is preferably continuous and thus once the problem has been fixed, the troubleshooting window  410  automatically disappears and the icons return to their original colours and functions. 
     Similarly, if a touch command sent to the cameras  34   a,b  via the camera display  401  is broken, the field view icon turns red and the troubleshooting window reappears (see  FIG. 16 ) with relevant troubleshooting tips. Preferably, the API  400  is capable of reflecting more than one problem simultaneously. Active monitoring is preferably done at the level closest to the control console  18 . Since the pan/tilt unit  40  and motorized lenses  32  are directly connected to the tag view camera, it periodically polls for a response. The system will try to re-establish a connection once a response is not received, after a particular threshold. The camera  34  passes a parameter to the API  400  indicating the problem as noted above. 
     When the operator presses the help option  409  a help menu  412  as shown in  FIG. 17  is displayed. The operator has the option of exiting the API  400  by pressing option  413  to access the native PC desktop (preferably password protected). The API  400  can be reloaded by selecting the reload option  414 , the help option can be exited by selecting option  416 , and a help manual can be loaded by selecting the help option  415 . 
     An example help manual  420  is shown in  FIG. 18 . Various tabs  421  are provided for providing troubleshooting tips for particular operations. A graphical display  422  and a textual display  423  are provided for each tab to assist the operator in diagnosing the problem. An exit button  424  is provided and contact information  425  for further support. Preferably, advance options are provide to enable an operator to configure the system  10  settings, such as the shutter speed, light intensity and zoom levels for calibration purposes. 
     An example advanced help manual  320  is shown in  FIG. 21 . This menu  320  allows the operator to perform manual zoom in  322  and zoom out  324  operations as well as adjust the iris  328  or adjust the focus  330  manually. The operator is also given the option to read the tag again  326  and exit the manual  332  when finished with the advanced options. It will be appreciated that any number of advanced options can be provided and may be guarded by a password protection mechanism to prevent unauthorized tampering. 
     Often, a shipping or storage facility includes more than one crane and thus includes more than one identical system  10  running the same software in the same building. In order to differentiate between two or more systems, an identifier for each system can be used, e.g. using a hardwired parallel port dongle. A different wiring combination can give each dongle a hard coded identifier. The dongles are physically attached to the system&#39;s parallel port and its identifier is automatically retrieved during system login, which accurately recognizes each system without human error. A lookup table can then be used to match the system identifier with the rest of the crane information such as weight, model and make. The system identifier allows the equipment to be completely portable so that it can be swapped between cranes during maintenance periods or if a machine is decommissioned. When the system initiates it can automatically determine the crane in which is has been installed and avoids the operator having to remember to update settings or enter such settings. It will be appreciated that the system identifier can also be set in software and, where only one crane exists in the same building, this option can be disabled. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  10  interfaces with an inventory control  24 . The inventory control  24  and the camera system may be fully integrated into a single system or may operate independent of one another while interfacing with each other as shown. In one embodiment (not shown) the API  400  includes a window for the camera system and a window for the inventory system but may also utilize a tabbed window to enable the operator to switch between the two interfaces. For a more ergonomic arrangement, a separate display (not shown) can be used to display an inventory interface on a separate display from the one shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Separate interfaces may be considered if the camera control system and inventory control system require different levels of authority for access. If access to the inventory system is limited to an operator, a read-only display could be provided without write capabilities. Also, security issues may dictate whether or not the inventory system and camera system can be integrated. In an integrated system, the camera sub-system sends location and barcode information that is already obtained to the inventory sub-system for updating or cross-referencing. 
     In a fully integrated system, an incoming coil  22  enters the facility on a truck bed, and the driver submits a billing sheet with an ID for the coil to an inventory control person or scans it into the system. The ID is loaded into the database and the inventory control  24  determines historical data and physical data to determine the best spot for the coil  22 . For example, the inventory control would have access to the floor layout and the look-up table showing available locations. The location and coil information may then be sent to the crane cab  18  whereby the coil tag  60  is first scanned to confirm that the coil matches the billing sheet and the coil  22  is lifted and placed at the appropriate location. With a sophisticated crane, a fully automated placement can be performed since the system  10  can find a location using the range finders  13   a ,  13   b  and can interface with the inventory control  24  to match a vacant spot with a location. Ideally a proximity sensor or the camera  14  system can be used to confirm that a spot is vacant before the coil  22  is lowered. 
     Once the coil  22  is placed, API  400  notifies the inventory control  24  which in turn updates its database to “fill” the vacant spot. For an outgoing item, a lift ID can be entered into the system either in the crane or from a remotely operated console (not shown). The lift ID is used to find the location for the coil  22  which in turn commands the crane or notifies the operator in the cab of the location. The location can be used automatically or manually to locate the coil  22 . The tag is then read to confirm the inventory and the coil  22  is hoisted and placed on an outgoing truck. 
     The above example can be fully automated or partially automated depending on the capabilities of the system and the safety requirements. An operator may be used but placed outside of the crane in an office. By using the illumination system  308 , the facility would not require lighting in a fully automate embodiment but only require the localized light that is only provided when a coil is being placed or retrieved. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto. The entire disclosures of all references recited above are incorporated herein by reference.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6