Display condition analysis device, display condition analysis method, and program recording medium

• US 10,586,101 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Higa, Kyota, Bao, Ruihan, Sato, Takami, Mase, Ryota, Iwamoto, Kota
• Primary Examiner(s): Bitar, Nancy
• Application Number:
  US15/124,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20170017840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5838 using colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/68 Food, e.g. fruit or vegetables
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/80 Recognising image objects characterised by unique random patterns

Abstract

Disclosed is a display condition analysis device which is capable of analyzing the display conditions of products. This display condition analysis device is provided with: a product recognition means for recognizing, from a display image taken of products on display, the products in the display image; and a display condition analysis means for analyzing, on the basis of the positions of the recognized products, the display conditions of the products on display.

Claims

1. A display condition analysis device comprising:

a memory storing a set of instructions;

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

acquire an image of a display shelf captured by a camera;

analyze a display condition by comparing the acquired image with a status where products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

detect, based on the analysis, an area in the display shelf differing from the status where the products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

recognize, from the acquired image of the display shelf, a product displayed on the display shelf; and

analyze a display condition of the product based on a distance between a position of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf and a reference position, the display condition including that the product exists on the near side of the display shelf,

wherein in comparing the acquired image with the status where products are displayed at the appropriate position on the display shelf, the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to;

detect a position of the products in the acquired image;

compare the detected position with the appropriate position; and

determine whether there is a display disorder based on the comparison;

wherein the detecting the position of the products comprises at least one of;

detecting an absolute position of one or more of the products,

detecting a relative position between two or more of the products,

detecting a point or a side of one or more of the products,

detecting a line connecting positions of two or more of the products, and

detecting an area between the line connecting positions of two or more of the products and a reference line.

2. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

analyze a display condition of the product, based on a degree of separation between a line connecting positions of the product and a comparison reference line.

3. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a size of the product in a reference image and a size of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf.

4. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

analyze a display condition of the product, based on a position of the product in a reference image and a position of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf.

5. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

calculate a degree of separation between a position of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf and a suitable position; and

analyze a display condition of the product based on the calculated degree of separation.

6. The display condition analysis device according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

output an image in a state in which the calculated degree of separation is recognizable.

9. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

display an image emphasizing the area.

10. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

display an image indicating disorder on the acquired image of the display shelf.

15. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

recognize, from the acquired image, displayed products on the display shelf and positions of the displayed products; and

analyze the display condition by comparing the positions of the displayed products and the positions of the displayed products with the status where products are displayed at the appropriate position on the display shelf.

16. The display condition analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

acquire analysis result of a plurality of shops so as to enable comparison among the shops.

7. A display condition analysis method performed by a processor in a computer, comprising:

acquiring an image of a display shelf captured by a camera;

analyzing a display condition by comparing the acquired image with a status where products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

detecting, based on the analysis, an area in the display shelf differing from the status where the products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

recognizing, from the acquired image of the display shelf, a product displayed on the display shelf; and

analyzing a display condition of the product based on a distance between a position of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf and a reference position, the display condition including that the product exists on the near side on the display shelf,

wherein the comparing the acquired image with the status where products are displayed at the appropriate position on the display shelf comprises;

detecting a position of the products in the acquired image;

comparing the detected position with the appropriate position; and

determining whether there is a display disorder based on the comparison;

wherein the detecting the position of the products comprises at least one of;

detecting an absolute position of one or more of the products,

detecting a relative position between two or more of the products,

detecting a point or a side of one or more of the products,

detecting a line connecting positions of two or more of the products, and

detecting an area between the line connecting positions of two or more of the products and a reference line.

11. The display condition analysis method according to claim 7, further comprising:

displaying an image emphasizing the area.

12. The display condition analysis method according to claim 7, further comprising:

displaying an image indicating disorder on the acquired image of the display shelf.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions which, when executed, causes a computer to perform a display condition analysis method, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a display shelf captured by a camera;

analyzing a display condition by comparing the acquired image with a status where products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

detecting, based on the analysis, an area in the display shelf differing from the status where the products are displayed at an appropriate position on the display shelf;

recognizing, from the acquired image of the display shelf, a product displayed on the display shelf; and

analyzing a display condition of the product based on a distance between a position of the product in the acquired image of the display shelf and a reference position, the display condition including that the product exits on the near side on the display shelf,

wherein the comparing the acquired image with the status where products are displayed at the appropriate position on the display shelf comprises;

detecting a position of the products in the acquired image;

comparing the detected position with the appropriate position; and

determining whether there is a display disorder based on the comparison;

wherein the detecting the position of the products comprises at least one of;

detecting an absolute position of one or more of the products,

detecting a relative position between two or more of the products,

detecting a point or a side of one or more of the products,

detecting a line connecting positions of two or more of the products, and

detecting an area between the line connecting positions of two or more of the products and a reference line.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, the method further comprising:

displaying an image emphasizing the area.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 8, the method further comprising:

displaying an image indicating disorder on the acquired image of the display shelf.