Automated apparatus and method for object recognition at checkout counters
First Claim
1. A method for automatically recognizing and identifying, without human intervention, a particular object from a set of unknown objects of different sizes, shapes and pictorial characteristics for purposes of customer billing and inventory control, said method comprising:
- providing a computerized data base for storage of object data sets for all objects to be identified, the data sets containing information regarding the size and shape of each object and one or more digitized images of pictorial characteristics of each object from various random orientations by which each object can be recognized and identified by the combination of size, shape and pictorial characteristics;
providing an identification station into which each object to be identified can be introduced without regard to its orientation within the station;
viewing each object at the identification station to capture a digital image of the object;
converting the captured image to a digitized signal;
communicating to the computerized data base the digitized signal of the image captured at the identification station;
comparing the digitized signal of the captured image with the stored object data sets within the computerized data base until the highest correlating combination of size, shape and pictorial characteristics extracted from the digitized signal of the captured image is made with one or more of the object data sets contained within the data base of object data sets; and
positively recognizing and identifying the object by said comparison.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated check-out system for retail stores, such as supermarkets, employing digitized video signals and other means to determine and differentiate individual products, and thereby register the data for billing and inventory purposes. The sensors control the flow and positioning of retail items into the housing wherein the light source is regulated and controlled. Within the housing, optical imaging of the retail item is made with the electronic signal being digitized. By use of computerized databases, the digitized signal is compared to the finite set of data for products of approximately the same size, shape, weight and other comparative variables. Further confirmation of product identity is achieved by use of bar code differentiation, multiple image comparisons and, if necessary, optical display to the store personnel operating the cash register station serving multiple check-out lanes within the store. The customer is guided through the transaction by use of a video display screen. Once the items are registered, the customer then may bag the items and proceed to the centralized cashier station to complete the transaction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for automatically recognizing and identifying, without human intervention, a particular object from a set of unknown objects of different sizes, shapes and pictorial characteristics for purposes of customer billing and inventory control, said method comprising:
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providing a computerized data base for storage of object data sets for all objects to be identified, the data sets containing information regarding the size and shape of each object and one or more digitized images of pictorial characteristics of each object from various random orientations by which each object can be recognized and identified by the combination of size, shape and pictorial characteristics; providing an identification station into which each object to be identified can be introduced without regard to its orientation within the station; viewing each object at the identification station to capture a digital image of the object; converting the captured image to a digitized signal; communicating to the computerized data base the digitized signal of the image captured at the identification station; comparing the digitized signal of the captured image with the stored object data sets within the computerized data base until the highest correlating combination of size, shape and pictorial characteristics extracted from the digitized signal of the captured image is made with one or more of the object data sets contained within the data base of object data sets; and positively recognizing and identifying the object by said comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for the automated check-out registering and inventory of objects sold to customers at a sales outlet which method provides for recognition, identification, differentiation and comparison of individual unknown objects at multiple check-out stations within the outlet without human intervention, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing multiple object identification signals in a central data base, each identification signal pertaining to a physical characteristic of one of the individual objects offered for sale within the sales outlet, the characteristics including the size, shape and pictorial characteristics of each object; providing at each check-out station an object identification station; moving each object to be recognized and identified into the object identification station; capturing an image of each object regardless of its orientation within the object identification station; moving the object out of the identification station once the image is captured; converting the captured image into an electronic signal that represents the size, shape and pictorial characteristics of the object; communicating the electronic signal to the central data base; comparing the electronic signal with the object identification signals stored in the data base until a match is made and the recognition and identification of the object determined; communicating the known identification of the object to a processor where it is stored and price information assigned to the identified object; and continuing the identification of all objects to be identified for a particular customer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A retail store check-out registration and inventory identification system for recognizing and identifying unknown objects sold to customers of the store, said system comprising:
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a central processing unit including memory means for the storage of preestablished object identification data including data sets for all the objects of the store, each object data set providing identification data corresponding to a separate object for sale within the store being serviced by the automated check-out system and including object data sets representing the size, shape and pictorial characteristics of each object from different orientations by which each object can be recognized and identified; a plurality of customer check-out stations, each station having; a display screen providing for the display of operative instructions to the customer utilizing the check-out station; an object identification station; digital video imaging means combined with the identification station for capturing an optical image of an object in the station regardless of the orientation of the object within the identification station; transport means to move an object into the object identification station for purposes of imaging; a first sensor combined with the object transport means to stop said transport means when an object enters the identification station and to activate the video imaging means; means for digitizing of the electronic signal produced by the video imaging means and which represents the size, shape and pictorial characteristics of an object in the identification station; means for communicating the digitized signal to the central processing unit; means for comparing the digitized signal representing the object data received from each check-out station with the object identification data sets stored within said central processing unit to recognize and identify the object and register its identity in the memory; and means for correlating the multiple electronic object identification signals received from a check-out station for a particular customer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification