Image-based inventory control system with automatic calibration and image correction

• US 10,062,050 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Snap-On Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipsey, Matthew J., Phillips, Preston, Fly, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xu, Xiaolan
• Application Number:
  US14/464,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/028 by sliding extraction from within a common frame
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10009 sensing by radiation using wavelengths larger than 0.1 mm, e.g. radio-waves or microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0008 checking presence/absence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/60 Type of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and an image sensing device configured to capture an image of one of the storage locations. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensor sub-system senses attributes of objects located in the inventory control system. A data storage system stores, for each storage location, reference data including identification of the object associated with each storage location. A data processor determines the inventory condition of each storage location of the captured image based on the image data of the captured image in conjunction with the sensing data of attributes of objects located in the inventory control system.

Claims

1. An inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising:

a plurality of storage locations for storing objects, wherein each storage location is associated with an object;

an image sensing device configured to capture an image of the storage locations;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensor sub-system configured to sense attributes of objects located in the inventory control system;

a data storage system storing reference data for each storage location, wherein the reference data includes identification of the object associated with each storage location; and

a data processor configured to;

access image data of the image of the storage locations captured by the image sensing device;

access sensing data of attributes of objects located in the inventory control system captured by the RFID sensor sub-system;

determine the inventory condition of objects stored in the storage locations based on the image data of the captured image; and

perform recognition of objects stored in the storage locations based on characteristics of the objects including at least one of size, shape, and color in the image data of the image captured by the image sensing device in conjunction with the sensing data of attributes of objects located in the inventory control system captured by the RFID sensor sub-system.

2. The inventory control system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one storage drawer comprising the plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

3. The inventory control system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one storage shelf comprising the plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and

a door securing access to the at least one storage shelf.

4. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein the RFID sensor sub-system is further configured to perform radio frequency (RF) triangulation to determine locations of objects located in the inventory control system.

5. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein the sensor sub-system is further configured to sense attributes including at least one of pressure, force, strain, magnetic field, capacitive sense, electric field, proximity, gravitational field strength.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object;

the data processor has access to prestored information identifying a relationship between each pre-designated object and an identifier unique to the pre-designated object; and

the data processor is configured to perform recognition of objects by sensing the presence of at least one identifier unique to a pre-designated object, and identifying objects based on the relationship between each pre-designated object and identifiers unique to each pre-designated object.

7. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein the data processor is configured to determine the inventory condition of each object based on a correlation between data of a region of interest in the captured image and reference data for the region of interest.

8. The inventory control system of claim 1, wherein the RFID sensor sub-system is further configured to sense attributes of a storage location of the inventory control system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data processor has access to prestored information identifying a relationship between each storage location and an identifier unique to the storage location; and

the data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of objects by sensing the presence of at least one identifier unique to a storage location, and identifying objects based on the relationship between each object and the identifier unique to the storage location associated with the object.