Systems and methods relating to document and fastener identification

Abstract

Method and systems of automated document processing described herein include activating in sequence a plurality of illumination modules of an illumination source to illuminate a document, where the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document. The document can be imaged each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module to provide a plurality of images. A shadow profile of the document can be obtained based on the plurality of images. One or more of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document can be identified using the shadow profile. Any fasteners present may be removed using a robot arm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of document processing, comprising:
 activating, in sequence, a plurality of illumination modules of an illumination source to illuminate a document, wherein the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document;   imaging the document each time the document is illuminated by an illumination module of the plurality of illumination modules, to provide a plurality of images;   obtaining a shadow profile of the document based on the plurality of images; and   identifying, with aid of at least one processor, at least one of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document using the shadow profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the boundary of the document comprises identifying an edge having a thickness of less than 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the presence of the fastener comprises recognizing when the fastener is an inverted fastener. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, when the fastener is the inverted fastener:
 applying a suction force upon a portion of the document using a suction applicator to lift the document from a document pedestal;   positioning a first document platform under the lifted document;   positioning a second document platform over the lifted document to place the document between and in contact with the first document platform and the second document platform; and   rotating the first document platform and the second document platform around a horizontal axis to flip the document over.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein removing the identified fastener comprises:
 coupling a document transfer end effector to the robot arm;   contacting a top surface of the document with the document transfer end effector coupled to the robot arm to apply a suction force upon the document to lift the document from a document pedestal on which the document is positioned to separate the document from other documents on the document pedestal;   rotating a document pincher of the document transfer end effector to contact a bottom surface of the document to secure the document against the document transfer end effector;   positioning a document platform under the lifted document to maintain separation of the document from the other documents;   releasing the suction force applied upon the document by the document transfer end effector to place the document on the document platform; and   releasing the document transfer end effector from the robot arm and coupling a fastener removal end effector to the robot arm.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 contacting a top surface of the document with a document contacting portion of the fastener removal end effector to hold the document against the document platform;   inserting a fastener removal tab of the fastener removal end effector between the fastener and the top surface of the document;   gripping the fastener with a fastener gripper of the fastener removal end effector to position at least a portion of the fastener between the fastener insert tab and the fastener gripper; and   moving the fastener gripper and the fastener removal tab away from the document to remove the fastener.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the document further comprises a staple attached thereto, and wherein identifying the at least one of the boundary of the document and presence of a fastener comprises identifying presence of the staple. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying a corresponding fastener removal end effector for a robot arm based on type information of the fastener attached to the document. 
     
     
         9 . A document processing system, comprising:
 a document pedestal configured to receive a document;   an illuminating source comprising a plurality of illumination modules configured to illuminate the document, wherein each of the plurality of illumination modules are located at different positions relative to the document pedestal and configured to be illuminated in sequence to illuminate the document;   an imaging device configured to capture a plurality of images, the plurality of images comprising at least one image of the document each time the document is illuminated by each of the plurality of illumination modules; and   a controller unit configured to obtain a shadow profile of the document based on the plurality of images, and identify at least one of a boundary of the document and presence of a fastener attached to the document using the shadow profile.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of illumination modules each comprise a plurality of LEDs. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a document transfer end-effector comprising:
 a body;   a suction applicator extending from a lower surface of the body, wherein the suction applicator is configured to apply a suction force upon at least a portion of a document to lift the document; and   a document pincher comprising a rotatable arm configured to be rotated towards the body to contact the document and pinch the document between the document pincher and a lower surface of the body.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a document platform configured to be positioned beneath the lifted document to separate the document from other documents on the pedestal. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the controller unit is configured to identify presence of an inverted fastener, the system further comprising:
 a first document platform configured to be positioned beneath the lifted document to separate the document from other documents on the pedestal; and   a second document platform configured to be positioned over the lifted document, wherein the document is sandwiched between the first and second document platforms, and wherein the first and second document platforms are configured to be rotated around a horizontal axis to flip the document over.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a robot arm and wherein the controller unit is configured to instruct removal of the fastener using an end effector coupled to the robot arm. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a fastener removal end effector, the fastener removal end effector comprising:
 a pair of document contacting portion configured to contact a top surface of the document to hold the document in place;   a fastener removal tab between the pair of document contacting portions, wherein the fastener removal tab is configured to be inserted between the fastener and the top surface of the document; and   a fastener gripper above the fastener removal tab configured to grip the fastener to position at least a portion of the fastener between the fastener insert tab and the fastener gripper,   wherein movement of the fastener gripper and the fastener insert tab away from the document removes the fastener.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the fastener is a staple and wherein the at least one of the removal tab and the gripper comprises a width that is the same as a corresponding width of a crown of the staple. 
     
     
         17 . An automated system for document processing, comprising:
 a document input configured to receive a document, wherein the document comprises a fastener attached thereto;   a detection unit configured to collect information regarding the document and the fastener;   a controller unit configured to receive the information from the detection unit to generate a processed information; and   an interaction unit configured to manipulate at least one of the document and the fastener using a tool selected based on the processed information.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the detection unit comprises:
 an illumination source comprising a plurality of illumination modules configured to illuminate the document and the fastener in sequence from different positions; and   an image capture device configured to capture a plurality of images of the document and the fastener, wherein the plurality of images comprise at least one image of the document and the fastener each time an illumination module of the plurality of illumination modules illuminates the document and the fastener,   wherein the controller is configured to compare the plurality of images to generate the processed information.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the tool comprises a fastener removal tool, wherein the interaction unit is configured to be releasably coupled to the tool, and wherein the controller is configured to instruct the interaction unit to couple to the tool for manipulating at least one of the document and the fastener to remove the fastener. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to use the processed information to determine a characteristic of at least one of the document and the fastener, and wherein the controller is configured to autonomously control, based on the characteristics, a movement of the interaction unit for manipulating at least one of the document and the fastener.