Using cameras to monitor actual inventory

• US 8,091,782 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cato, Robert Thomas, Zimmerman, Thomas Guthrie
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US11/937,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20090121017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/375, 235/487, 705/28, 705/14
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

System and method for monitoring inventory. Inventory items are positioned between a camera and a surface having an optically identifiable and distinct characteristic. The camera obtains an image of the inventory items present, any exposed portion of the surface, or both. The amount of the exposed surface is used to determine an amount of the inventory items that are present or missing. Furthermore, the optically identifiable characteristic may be a uniform characteristic, such as color or texture, or a set of discrete elements, such as stickers, barcodes, structural features of the shelf, a pattern of lines or shapes, or combinations thereof. Optionally, the optically identifiable characteristic is unique to the location of the shelf associated with the inventory items. Inventory or non-inventory items incorrectly positioned over the exposed surface may be excluded from the amount of the expected inventory item being determined if the item does not match the visual attributes of the expected inventory item. The camera may be fixed or movable and preferably provides digital images to a computer system having a computer readable medium with program products for analyzing the image and providing inventory reports.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring inventory, comprising:

providing a surface having an optically identifiable characteristic that is distinct from an inventory item;

directing a camera toward the surface;

positioning at least one unit of the inventory item between the camera and the surface;

using the camera to obtaining an image of the at least one unit, an exposed portion of the surface or both;

determining an amount of the exposed portion of the surface; and

determining the number of units of the inventory item present by comparing a known amount of the entire surface and the determined amount of the exposed portion of the surface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the location of the exposed portion of the shelf; and

identifying the inventory item previously positioned at the location of the exposed portion of the surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location of the exposed portion of the shelf is determined relative to a known position of the camera when the image was obtained.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic is unique to the location of the shelf that is associated with the inventory item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic includes at least one discrete element selected from the group consisting of patterns of contrasting lines, patterns of contrasting shapes, bar codes, stickers, structural features of the shelf, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic is a uniform characteristic selected from the group consisting of color, texture, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic includes at least one uniquely identifiable label.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

establishing the location of the at least one uniquely identifiable label before positioning the at least one unit of the inventory item between the camera and the surface containing the at least one uniquely identifiable label.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

associating an inventory item with the location of the at least one uniquely identifiable label.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface comprises a retro-reflective material and an infrared light illumination source is positioned substantially near the lens of the camera to cause a strong return of light reflecting off the retro-reflective material.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one unit of the inventory item includes a plurality of units.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of units of a plurality of different inventory items are positioned between the camera and the surface, wherein the camera obtains an image of the units remaining in the position and an exposed portion of the surface, and wherein the number of units of each inventory item remaining in the position is determined.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an optically identifiable characteristic of the inventory item that is expected at the position on the surface;

detecting the presence of a misplaced item positioned on the surface that does not match the optically identifiable characteristic of the expected inventory item; and

excluding the misplaced item from the number of units of the inventory item present.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of excluding the misplaced item includes determining the surface area occupied by the misplaced item, and wherein the step of determining the number of units of the inventory item present includes comparing the known amount of the entire surface and the sum of the surface area occupied by the misplaced item and the determined amount of the exposed portion of the surface.

15. A system for monitoring inventory, comprising:

a structure having a surface including an optically identifiable characteristic that is distinct from an inventory item;

a camera directed toward the structure to obtain an image that includes at least one unit of the inventory item positioned between the camera and the surface, an exposed portion of the surface, or both; and

a computer system including a processor and a computer readable medium including computer usable program code for using the camera to obtain an image of the at least one unit of the inventory item, an exposed portion of the surface or both, determine an amount of the exposed portion of the surface, and determine the number of units of the inventory item present by comparing a known amount of the entire surface and the determined amount of the exposed portion of the surface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium further includes computer usable program code for identifying the location of the exposed portion of the shelf, and identifying the inventory item previously positioned at the location of the exposed portion of the shelf.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic is unique to the location of the shelf associated with the inventory items.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic includes at least one discrete element selected from the group consisting of patterns of contrasting lines, patterns of contrasting shapes, bar codes, stickers, structural features of the shelf, or combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic is a uniform characteristic selected from the group consisting of color, texture, and combinations thereof.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the optically identifiable characteristic includes at least one uniquely identifiable label.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer readable medium further includes computer usable program code for establishing the location of the at least one uniquely identifiable label before the at least one unit of the inventory item is positioned between the camera and the surface containing the at least one uniquely identifiable label.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium further includes computer usable program code for associating an inventory item with the location of the at least one uniquely identifiable label.

23. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an infrared light illumination source positioned substantially near the lens of the camera, wherein the surface comprises a retro-reflective material.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one unit of the inventory item includes a plurality of units.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein a plurality of units of a plurality of different inventory items are positioned between the camera and the surface, wherein the camera obtains an image of the units remaining in the position and an exposed portion of the surface, and wherein the number of units of each inventory item remaining in the position is determined.