Object identification using barcode reader
First Claim
1. A method of verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
- maintaining a database of an expected object signatures in a vicinity of barcodes properly affixed to associated objects;
at a point of sale, obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed;
using data encoded on the presented barcode to access the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode;
determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed;
comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature;
providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and
wherein an portion of the image within a barcode boundary is used to enhance a portion of the image outside the barcode boundary that includes the object to which the presented barcode is affixed.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A barcode reader for verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object particularly suitable for use at a point of sale. A database of expected object signatures in a vicinity of a properly affixed barcode properly is maintained. At a point of sale, the barcode reader obtains an image of a presented barcode (possibly not the correct barcode) and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed. Using data encoded on the presented barcode, the database is accessed to provide an expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode. A comparison is made between the expected signature of the object and a sensed signature derived from the image of the object. An improper barcode can thus possibly be identified and further investigation initiated.
8 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
maintaining a database of an expected object signatures in a vicinity of barcodes properly affixed to associated objects; at a point of sale, obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; using data encoded on the presented barcode to access the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode; determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature; providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and wherein an portion of the image within a barcode boundary is used to enhance a portion of the image outside the barcode boundary that includes the object to which the presented barcode is affixed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
maintaining a database of an expected object signatures in a vicinity of barcodes properly affixed to associated objects; at a point of sale, obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; using data encoded on the presented barcode to access the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode; determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature; providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and wherein the sensed signature includes a numeric indication based on data compression of the grey scale or color contents of an image of the object near the presented barcode and a mismatch between the object and the presented barcode is indicated if a difference in the numeric indication for the sensed and expected signature exceeds a threshold.
-
-
10. A method of verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
maintaining a database of an expected object signatures in a vicinity of barcodes properly affixed to associated objects; at a point of sale, obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; using data encoded on the presented barcode to access the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode; determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature; providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and wherein a region of the image surrounding the presented barcode that is evaluated to create the sensed signature is variable based on the contents of the image.
-
-
11. A method of verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
maintaining a database of an expected object signatures in a vicinity of barcodes properly affixed to associated objects; at a point of sale, obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; using data encoded on the presented barcode to access the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode; determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature; providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and wherein a size of a bounding box that contains decoded bar code is used to normalize or scale image features when comparing the sensed and expected signatures.
-
-
12. Apparatus for verifying that a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
a memory for storing a database of expected characteristics in a vicinity of barcodes that are properly affixed to associated objects; a point of sale barcode reader for imaging a presented barcode and comprising optics having a field of view sufficient to obtain an image of the presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; a controller for interpreting the presented barcode using data contained in the barcode to access the database and determine an expected signature of the object and for deriving a sensed signature from the image of the object in the region of the presented barcode; said controller programmed to perform a comparison between the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; an indicator coupled to the controller for indicating a result of the comparison ; and wherein an portion of the image within a barcode boundary is used to enhance a portion of the image outside the barcode boundary that includes the object to which the presented barcode is affixed. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. Apparatus for verifying that a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
a memory for storing a database of expected characteristics in a vicinity of barcodes that are properly affixed to associated objects; a point of sale barcode reader for imaging a presented barcode and comprising optics having a field of view sufficient to obtain an image of the presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; a controller for interpreting the presented barcode using data contained in the barcode to access the database and determine an expected signature of the object and for deriving a sensed signature from the image of the object in the region of the presented barcode; said controller programmed to perform a comparison between the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; an indicator coupled to the controller for indicating a result of the comparison; and wherein the expected and sensed signatures are derived by the controller from a compressed representation of a bitmapped image.
-
-
16. Apparatus for verifying that a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
a memory for storing a database of expected characteristics in a vicinity of barcodes that are properly affixed to associated objects; a point of sale barcode reader for imaging a presented barcode and comprising optics having a field of view sufficient to obtain an image of the presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; a controller for interpreting the presented barcode using data contained in the barcode to access the database and determine an expected signature of the object and for deriving a sensed signature from the image of the object in the region of the presented barcode; said controller programmed to perform a comparison between the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; an indicator coupled to the controller for indicating a result of the comparison; and wherein the bar code reader has multiple cameras for capturing different views of an object.
-
-
17. Apparatus for verifying a barcode is attached to an appropriate object comprising:
-
means for maintaining a database of an expected object signature in a vicinity of a barcodes properly affixed to associated objects; means for obtaining an image of a presented barcode and at least a portion of an object to which the presented barcode is affixed; means for accessing the database to determine the expected signature of the object in the region of the presented barcode based on the contents of the presented barcode; means for determining a sensed signature derived from the image of the object to which the presented barcode is affixed; means for comparing the expected signature of the object with the sensed signature; and means for providing an indication of the results of the comparing; and means for using an portion of the image within a barcode boundary to enhance a portion of the image outside the barcode boundary that includes the object to which the presented barcode is affixed.
-
Specification