Smart scanning system
First Claim
1. A smart scanning method, comprising:
- receiving a scan of a barcode of an item via a dedicated barcode scanner in an integrated scanning and image capture system;
determining an identity of the item based on the barcode;
capturing an image of the item from a substantially horizontal direction via a dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and adjacent to the barcode scanner in a common enclosure that is affixed as a component of a checkout station;
capturing a second image of the item from a substantially vertical direction below the item via a second dedicated image capture device, wherein the second dedicated image capture device is positioned substantially vertically below a horizontal surface of the common enclosure below an area of the item and facing in an upward direction, wherein the second image is captured through a hole in the common enclosure separate from a scanning window in the horizontal surface, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the second dedicated image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and physically separate from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and is affixed as a component of a checkout station; and
determining whether the identity is consistent with an appearance of the item as determined from the image and the second image.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a smart scanning system comprising an integrated scanning and image capture system in which one or more image capture device(s) (e.g., still camera, video camera, etc.) and a barcode scanner are positioned within a common enclosure that is a component of a checkout station. The barcode of item is scanned and an image of the item is recorded. The identity of the item as determined based on the barcode is compared to its appearance as determined based on its image. If the identity is inconsistent with its appearance, a discrepancy is registered. It is then determined whether the discrepancy is due to fraud (e.g., theft) or device error. In the case of the latter, the system can be updated to prevent a repeat of the error.
117 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A smart scanning method, comprising:
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receiving a scan of a barcode of an item via a dedicated barcode scanner in an integrated scanning and image capture system; determining an identity of the item based on the barcode; capturing an image of the item from a substantially horizontal direction via a dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and adjacent to the barcode scanner in a common enclosure that is affixed as a component of a checkout station; capturing a second image of the item from a substantially vertical direction below the item via a second dedicated image capture device, wherein the second dedicated image capture device is positioned substantially vertically below a horizontal surface of the common enclosure below an area of the item and facing in an upward direction, wherein the second image is captured through a hole in the common enclosure separate from a scanning window in the horizontal surface, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the second dedicated image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and physically separate from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and is affixed as a component of a checkout station; and determining whether the identity is consistent with an appearance of the item as determined from the image and the second image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A smart scanning system, comprising:
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a module for receiving a scan of a barcode of an item via a dedicated barcode scanner in an integrated scanning and image capture system; a module for determining an identity of the item based on the barcode;
a module for capturing an image of the item from a substantially horizontal direction via a dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and adjacent to the barcode scanner in a common enclosure that is affixed as a component of a checkout station;capturing a second image of the item from a substantially vertical direction below the item via a second dedicated image capture device, wherein the second dedicated image capture device is positioned substantially vertically below a horizontal surface of the common enclosure below an area of the item and facing in an upward direction, wherein the second image is captured through a hole in the common enclosure separate from a scanning window in the horizontal surface, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the second dedicated image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and physically separate from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and is affixed as a component of a checkout station; and a module for determining whether the identity is consistent with an appearance of the item as determined from the image and the second image. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An integrated scanning and image capture system, comprising:
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a dedicated barcode scanner for scanning a barcode of an item; a dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, the image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and adjacent to the barcode scanner, for capturing an image of the item from a substantially horizontal direction, the barcode scanner and the image capture device both being positioned within a common enclosure that is affixed as a component of a checkout station; and a second dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, the second dedicated image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and physically separate from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and being affixed as a component of a checkout station with a location outside the common enclosure, for capturing a second image of the item from a substantially vertical direction below the item, wherein the second dedicated image capture device is positioned substantially vertically below a horizontal surface of the common enclosure below an area of the item and facing in an upward direction, wherein the second image is captured through a hole in the common enclosure separate from a scanning window in the horizontal surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for deploying a smart scanning system, comprising:
- providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;
receive a scan of a barcode of an item via a dedicated barcode scanner in an integrated scanning and image capture system; determine an identity of the item based on the barcode;
capture an image of the item from a substantially horizontal direction via a dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and adjacent to the barcode scanner in a common enclosure that is affixed as a component of a checkout station;capture a second image of the item from a substantially vertical direction below the item via a second dedicated image capture device, which is not used to process barcodes, in the integrated scanning and image capture system, the second dedicated image capture device being distinct from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and physically separate from the barcode scanner and the image capture device and is affixed as a component of a checkout station with a location outside the common enclosure, wherein the second dedicated image capture device is positioned substantially vertically below a horizontal surface of the common enclosure below an area of the item and facing in an upward direction, wherein the second image is captured through a hole in the common enclosure separate from a scanning window in the horizontal surface; and determine whether the identity is consistent with an appearance of the item as determined from the image and the second image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
- providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;
Specification