Apparatus and method for determining whether machine readable information on an item matches the item

• US 7,248,754 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cato, Robert Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Duy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/429,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20040223663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 382/318, 382/216, 382/140, 235/426.01, 235/462.01
• US Class Current: 382/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles

Abstract

A scanner, which reads machine readable information on an item and determines its location on the item, also includes one or more video cameras for determining dimensions of features on the item. A computer uses the machine readable information to find a record within a data structure. The record includes dimensions of one or more visible features of an item corresponding to the machine readable information and identified according to their location relative to the machine readable information. These dimensions of features are then compared to the dimensions of features of the item being scanned to determine whether the machine readable information read by the scanner matches the item being scanned.

Claims

1. A checkout station comprising:

a scanner reading machine readable information on an item being checked out to provide data for determining a value represented by said machine readable information, additionally providing data for determining a location of said machine readable information on said item being checked out, and additionally providing data for determining a measured dimension for each visible feature within a plurality of visible features of said item being checked out as said machine readable information is read;

a conveyor extending between said scanner and a collection area;

data storage including a data structure having a number of records, wherein each of said records includes a code field storing a value determined from machine readable information of an item corresponding to said record and a dimensional field storing an expected dimension for each of a plurality of visible features of said item corresponding to said record; and

a microprocessor programmed to determine said value represented by said machine readable information from data received from said scanner, to find a corresponding record in a data structure within said data storage with a value in said code field corresponding to said value represented by said machine readable information, to compare measured dimensions of said plurality of visible features with expected dimensions of said plurality of visible features stored in said corresponding record, and to permit operation of said conveyor to move said item being checked out from said scanner to said collection area following a determination that said measured dimensions of visible features match various of said expected dimensions of visible features.

2. The checkout station of claim 1, wherein

each record in a plurality of records within said data structure additionally includes a shape field storing a value defining an order of visible features for which dimensions are stored in said dimensional fields according to relationships between each of said visible features and a location of said machine readable information on said item corresponding to said record, and

said microprocessor is programmed to read said shape code and to compare dimensions of visible features in said first and second pluralities according to said order of visible features defined by said shape code.

3. The checkout station of claim 2, wherein said order of visible features is additionally according to a relationship between one of said visible features and an orientation of said machine readable information on said item corresponding to said record.

4. The checkout station of claim 1, wherein said scanner includes:

a laser;

a moving mirror causing a reflection of a beam produced by said laser to move across said item being checked out in a repeating pattern;

an output photodetector receiving a reflection of said laser beam from said object and producing an output signal; and

a video camera viewing said item being checked out as said reflection of said beam moves across said item being checked out, and producing a signal providing said data for determining said measured dimension for each said visible feature.

5. The checkout station of claim 1, wherein said scanner includes:

a laser;

a moving mirror causing a reflection of a beam produced by said laser to move across said item being checked out in a repeating pattern;

an output photodetector receiving a reflection of said laser beam from said object and producing an output signal; and

a plurality of video cameras viewing said item being checked out as said reflection of said beam moves across said item being checked out, and producing a plurality of signals together providing said data for determining said measured dimension for each said visible feature.

6. The checkout station of claim 5, wherein

said scanner additionally includes a timing photodetector receiving said reflection of said beam produced by said laser as said reflection of said beam is moved through a portion of said repeating pattern and an emitter producing pulses with movement of said moving mirror,

output signals from said timing photodetector and said emitter are used to provide an indication of a position of said moving mirror as said moving mirror is moved through said repeating pattern, and

said location of said machine readable information is determined by a position of said moving mirror as said machine readable information is successfully read.

7. The checkout station of claim 5, wherein

said scanner additionally includes an encoder producing an encoded pattern of pulses with movement of said moving mirror,

said encoded pattern of pulses is used to provide an indication of a position of said moving mirror as said moving mirror is moved through said repeating pattern, and

said location of said bar pattern is determined by a position of said moving mirror as said machine readable information is successfully read.

8. The checkout station of claim 5, wherein said output signals from said video cameras are additionally used to start said laser by determining that said object being checked out has been moved into proximity with said window.

9. The checkout station of claim 1, wherein

said scanner includes a plurality of cameras simultaneously viewing said item being checked out,

said cameras produce output signals used in combination for determining said value represented by said machine readable information, for determining said location of said machine readable information and for determining said measured dimension of each said visible feature.

10. The checkout station of claim 9, wherein

said scanner includes a window, and

said cameras are mounted in a spaced-apart relationship to view said item being checked out through said window.

11. The checkout station of claim 9, wherein said output signals from said cameras are additionally used to start a process of reading said machine readable information by determining that said object being checked out has been moved into proximity with said window.

12. The checkout station of claim 1, wherein

said conveyor includes an entrance detector producing a signal when said item being checked out is placed within an entrance to said conveyor, and

said microprocessor is additionally programmed to turn on said conveyor to move said item being checked out to said collection area in response to said signal from said entrance detector after determining that said measured dimensions match corresponding expected dimensions.