Exception handling in automated data reading systems

• US 8,919,653 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Datalogic Adc, Inc. (Datalogic S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Olmstead, Bryan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US13/942,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20140021258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.41, 235/375, 235/462.11, 235/462.24
• US Class Current: 235/462.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10544 by scanning of the records by radiation in the optical part of the electromagnetic spectrum

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for unassisted (i.e., customer controlled) exception handling in an automated data reader having a read zone. A first imager obtains a first image of an exception item in response to an exception generated in a read zone. An exception handling station receives the exception item, and a second imager located at the exception handling station obtains a second image of the exception item. An image processor receives the images, identities visual object recognition features from each image, and compares the features to determine whether the first and second images represent the same exception item. If so, the exception is cleared, and the item is added to a transaction list.

Claims

1. An automated data reading system comprising:

a data reader defining a read zone and configured to acquire identification information of an item transported through the read zone;

a processor configured to determine whether the item has been successfully identified;

a first imager to obtain, in response the item not being successfully identified, first image data representing the item positioned near an outlet of the read zone;

an exception handling station configured to receive the item, the exception handling station including a second imager to obtain second image data representing the item positioned at the exception handling station;

an image processor configured to obtain from the first and second image data corresponding first and second visual object recognition features representing a visual property of the item, and further configured to compare the first and second visual object recognition features to determine whether the item appears in both of the first and second image data; and

a housing encompassing the data reader, the housing including an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the first imager is located within the housing and positioned to project a field of view into the read zone.

2. An automated data reading system according to claim 1, in which the image processor is further configured to acquire from the second image data, exception-handling identification information of the item, and to identify the item based on the exception-handling identification information.

3. An automated data reading system according to claim 1, in which the identification information is encoded in a barcode.

4. An automated data reading system according to claim 1, in which the identification information comprises scale-invariant feature transform features.

5. An automated data reading system comprising:

a data reader defining a read zone and configured to acquire identification information of an item transported through the read zone;

a processor configured to determine whether the item has been successfully identified;

a first imager to obtain, in response the item not being successfully identified, first image data representing the item positioned near an outlet of the read zone;

an exception handling station configured to receive the item, the exception handling station including a second imager to obtain second image data representing the item positioned at the exception handling station;

an image processor configured to obtain from the first and second image data corresponding first and second visual object recognition features representing a visual property of the item, and further configured to compare the first and second visual object recognition features to determine whether the item appears in both of the first and second image data; and

a housing encompassing the data reader, the housing including an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the first imager is located above the housing and positioned to project a field of view encompassing a portion of the outlet side.

6. An automated data reading system according to claim 5, in which the first imager comprises an imager of the data reader that is configured to acquire the identification information in response to an initial data-reading operation.

7. An automated data reading system according to claim 5, in which the exception handling station includes a user display configured to present the first image data.

8. An automated data reading system according to claim 7, in which the user display is configured to present user instructions directing a user to obtain the second image data with the second imager.

9. An automated data reading system according to claim 5, in which the first image data comprises video data.

10. An automated data reading system according to claim 5, in which the visual object recognition features comprise scale-invariant feature transform features.

11. An automated data reading system according to claim 5, further comprising a transport path, and in which the exception handling station is located along the transport path.

12. An automated data reading system comprising:

a data reader defining a read zone and configured to acquire identification information of an item transported through the read zone;

a processor configured to determine whether the item has been successfully identified;

a first imager to obtain, in response the item not being successfully identified, first image data representing the item positioned near an outlet of the read zone;

an exception handling station configured to receive the item, the exception handling station including a second imager to obtain second image data representing the item positioned at the exception handling station;

an image processor configured to obtain from the first and second image data corresponding first and second visual object recognition features representing a visual property of the item, and further configured to compare the first and second visual object recognition features to determine whether the item appears in both of the first and second image data;

a conveying system configured to transport items through the read zone;

an inlet end; and

an outlet end including the exception handling station, in which the conveying system is operative to transport items from the inlet end, through the read zone, and to the outlet end.

13. An automated data reading system according to claim 12, further comprising:

an annotation system operable to annotate the first or second image data to indicate an item represented in the first or second image data has not been successfully identified.

14. A method of automated data reading, the method comprising:

moving items on a conveyor system from an inlet end, through a read zone of a data reader, to an exception processing station at an outlet end;

obtaining in the read zone first image data representing an unidentified item transported through the read zone;

obtaining at the exception processing station second image data representing the unidentified item;

extracting from the first and second image data, corresponding first and second visual object recognition features representing a visual property of the unidentified item; and

comparing the first and second visual object recognition features to confirm whether the unidentified item is represented in both the first and second image data.

15. A method of automated data reading according to claim 14, further comprising:

identifying, based on the second image data, the unidentified item to establish a subsequently identified item.

16. A method of automated data reading according to claim 15, further comprising:

adding the subsequently identified item to a transaction list.

17. A method of automated data reading according to claim 15, further comprising:

generating an exception in response to the unidentified item being transported through the read zone; and

clearing the exception in response to establishing the subsequently identified item.

18. A method of automated data reading according to claim 14, further comprising:

alerting a user in response to the unidentified item being transported through the read zone by displaying the first image data on a user display located at the exception processing station.

19. A method of automated data reading according to claim 14, in which the second image data includes a representation of an optical code, the method further comprising:

attempting to decode the optical code to identify the unidentified item from the second image data.

20. A method of automated data reading according to claim 19, further comprising:

displaying on a user display located at the exception processing station a notification of whether the optical code was decoded.

21. A method of automated data reading according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the second image data on a user display located at the exception processing station.

22. A method of automated data reading according to claim 14, further comprising:

annotating the first image data to generate annotated image data corresponding to visual representations that indicate the unidentified item being transported through the read zone.