Defined data patterns for object handling

• US 9,058,543 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAF Software Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAF Technology, Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Campbell, David Peter, Ross, David Justin, Elmenhurst, Brian J., Saur, Kevin James, Teudt, Richard Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/948,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20140184843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/101, 382/102, 382/181, 382/218, 382/231, 705/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/10 Character recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/1983 Syntactic or structural pattern recognition, e.g. symbolic string recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A method of defining data patterns for object handling includes obtaining an image of an input data area, processing the image to obtain image data, and comparing the image data with a pattern, wherein the pattern identifies spatial information of corresponding pattern fields of the pattern. The method further includes determining a confidence level of the comparison of the image data according to a success in matching the image data with the pattern fields, comparing the confidence level with a confidence threshold associated with the pattern, and selecting the pattern. A pattern output associated with the selected pattern is identified, wherein the pattern output corresponds to a canonical return format, and the pattern output is applied to the image data.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a processing device, image data of an object;

comparing, by the processing device, the image data with a plurality of patterns stored in memory, wherein each pattern identifies spatial information of corresponding pattern elements;

determining, by the processing device, a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of patterns;

comparing, by the processing device, the plurality of confidence levels with corresponding confidence thresholds, wherein the plurality of patterns stored in memory are associated with corresponding confidence thresholds; and

identifying, by the processing device, a pattern from the plurality of patterns based, at least in part, on identifying the pattern associated with the corresponding confidence threshold that is first met by comparing the plurality of confidence levels; and

wherein the object is processed according to the identified pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing, by the processing device, the image data with the plurality of patterns; and

determining, by the processing device, a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of patterns, wherein identifying the pattern comprises identifying the pattern corresponding to a highest confidence level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of patterns are priority weighted, and wherein identifying the pattern comprises:

comparing, by the processing device, the image data with the plurality of patterns;

determining, by the processing device, a number of patterns associated with the corresponding confidence thresholds that are met by comparing the image data; and

identifying, by the processing device, the pattern from the number of identified patterns having a highest priority weighting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a manufactured part, and wherein the image data comprises an image of a label or a serial number associated with the manufactured part.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the object is processed as part of an operation associated with monitoring an inventory of manufactured parts.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein processing the object comprises identifying a usage of the manufactured part.

7. A system, comprising:

an imaging device configured to generate image data responsive to a portion of an object located within view of the imaging device;

a memory device configured to store a plurality of patterns; and

a processing device configured to;

compare the image data with a pattern stored in the memory device, wherein the pattern identifies spatial information of corresponding pattern elements;

determine a confidence level of the comparison of the image data according to a success in matching the image data with the pattern elements;

compare the confidence level with a confidence threshold associated with the pattern, wherein the plurality of patterns stored in the memory device are associated with corresponding confidence thresholds; and

identify the pattern from the plurality of patterns stored in the memory device based, at least in part, on comparing the confidence level with the confidence threshold, wherein the object is processed according to the identified pattern;

compare the image data with the plurality of patterns;

determine a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of patterns; and

compare the plurality of confidence levels with the corresponding confidence thresholds, wherein the identified pattern is associated with the corresponding confidence threshold that is first met by comparing the plurality of confidence levels.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing device is further configured to:

compare the image data with the plurality of patterns; and

determine a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of patterns, wherein the identified pattern corresponds to a highest confidence level associated with the plurality of confidence levels.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of patterns are priority weighted, wherein the pattern is identified by comparing the image data with the plurality of patterns and identifying a number of patterns associated with the corresponding confidence thresholds that are met by comparing the image data, and wherein the identified pattern has a highest priority weighting as among the plurality of patterns.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the object comprises a manufactured part, and wherein the image data is associated with an image of a label or a serial number located on the portion of the object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the object is processed as part of an operation associated with monitoring an inventory of manufactured parts.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the object is processed by identifying a usage of the manufactured part.

13. A non-transitory memory device having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

obtaining image data of an object,

comparing the image data with a stored pattern, wherein the stored pattern identifies spatial information of corresponding pattern elements;

determining a confidence level of the comparison of the image data according to a success in matching the image data with the pattern elements;

comparing the confidence level with a confidence threshold associated with the pattern, wherein a plurality of stored patterns are associated with corresponding confidence thresholds;

identifying the stored pattern from the plurality of stored patterns based, at least in part, on comparing the confidence level with the confidence threshold, wherein the object is processed according to the identified stored pattern;

comparing the image data with the plurality of stored patterns;

determining a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of stored patterns; and

comparing the plurality of confidence levels with the corresponding confidence thresholds, wherein identifying the stored pattern comprises identifying the stored pattern associated with the corresponding confidence threshold that is first met by comparing the plurality of confidence levels.

14. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

comparing the image data with the plurality of stored patterns; and

determining a plurality of confidence levels based on comparing the image data with the plurality of stored patterns, wherein identifying the stored pattern comprises identifying the stored pattern corresponding to a highest confidence level from among the plurality of confidence levels.

15. The memory device of claim 13, wherein the object comprises a manufactured part, and wherein the image data is associated with an image of a label or a serial number located on the manufactured part.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the object is processed as part of an operation associated with monitoring an inventory of manufactured parts.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the object is processed to identify a usage of the manufactured part.