Itemization system with automated photography

• US 9,704,200 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Charles Horst
• Original Assignee: John Charles Horst
• Inventors: Horst, John Charles, Flanagan, IV, James Lawrence, Hallak, John Claude, Canzoneri, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Ojiaku, Chika
• Application Number:
  US14/028,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Systems and methods for implementing itemization systems with automated photography are disclosed. An itemization task may include an itemization process and a photography process that uses a first camera set to a first field of view and a second camera set to a second field of view to take a first and second photo of an item undergoing itemization. The first and second cameras automatically take photos of the item based on user input during an itemization process. The first and second cameras remain stationary and do not require repositioning or refocusing when a new item is itemized. The itemization process may be performed using 10-key input.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first camera set to a first field of view;

a second camera set to a second field of view; and

a computer communicatively coupled to the first and second cameras and comprising;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions embedded therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to;

display on a display the first field of view and the second field of view wherein at least a portion of an item is positioned such that the item is displayed in each of the first field of view and the second field of view;

display on a display an itemization graphical user interface;

receive information identifying the item generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more keys of a keyboard, wherein the physical manipulation of each key of the one or more keys causes entry of information identifying the item and selection of a menu at the itemization graphical user interface, the information identifying the item comprising at least one of the item'"'"'s type, color, pattern, material, brand, manufacturer, value, label, tag, or damage; and

in response to receiving the information identifying the item generated by the user by physical manipulation of the one or more keys, performing a photography process, comprising;

taking a first field of view photo of the item using the first camera the first field of view photo corresponding to the displayed first field of view;

determining if a precondition for taking a second field of view photo of the item has been satisfied, wherein the precondition has been satisfied if the received information identifying the item comprises at least one of;

identification of an item label or tag, identification of the item as valuable, or identification of the item as damaged; and

in response to determining that the precondition for taking the second field of view photo of the item has been satisfied, taking a second field of view photo of the item using the second camera, the second field of view photo corresponding to the displayed second field of view, wherein each of the first camera and the second camera do not change field of view during the photography process.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving the information identifying the item generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more keys of the keyboard comprises:

selecting a plurality of menus at the itemization graphical user interface in response to user entry at a 10 key number pad of the keyboard, wherein entry of a key of the 10 key number pad causes addition of an item descriptor and selection of one the plurality of menus, and wherein selection of the plurality of menus corresponds to selecting the information identifying the item.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to:

associate a first plurality of predefined menu choices in a predefined sequential order with a first toggle, each of the first plurality of predefined sequential menu choices associated with a descriptor of an item; and

receive data corresponding to user input selecting the first toggle,

wherein selecting each of the plurality of menus at the itemization graphical user interface in response to user entry at the 10 key number pad comprises selecting each of the first plurality of predefined menu choices in the predefined sequential order.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first camera and second camera are internet protocol cameras.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to:

create searchable image metatags for the first photo and the second photo using at least the received information identifying the item; and

transmit the first photo and second photo over a network to a server for storage.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a storage configured to store the first photo and second photo, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to;

create searchable image metatags for the first photo and the second photo using at least the received information identifying the item.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the steps of displaying on a display the first field of view and the second field of view, receiving data generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more user input devices of the computer, and performing a photography process in response to receiving data comprising information identifying an item are repeated for a plurality of items.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the first camera and second camera are an integrated camera module with a first field of view and a second field of view, and wherein the integrated camera module takes the first field of view photo and second field of view photo.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying on a display a first field of view corresponding to a first camera and a second field of view corresponding to a second camera, wherein at least a portion of an item is positioned such that the item is displayed in each of the first field of view and the second field of view;

displaying on a display an itemization graphical user interface;

receiving information identifying the item generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more keys of a keyboard, wherein the physical manipulation of each of the one or more keys causes entry of information identifying the item and selection of a menu at the itemization graphical user interface, the information identifying the item comprising at least one of the item'"'"'s type, color, pattern, material, brand, manufacturer, value, label, tag, or damage; and

in response to receiving the information identifying the item generated by a user by physical manipulation of the one or more keys, performing a photography process, comprising;

taking a first field of view photo of the item using the first camera set to a first field of view, the first field of view photo corresponding to the displayed first field of view;

determining if a precondition for taking a second field of view photo of the item has been satisfied, wherein the precondition has been satisfied if the received information identifying the item comprises at least one of;

identification of an item label or tag, identification of the item as valuable, or identification of the item as damaged; and

in response to determining that the precondition for taking the second field of view photo of the item has been satisfied, taking a second field of view photo of the item using the second camera, the second field of view photo corresponding to the displayed second field of view, wherein each of the first camera and the second camera do not change field of view during the photography process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the information identifying the item generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more keys of the keyboard comprises:

selecting a plurality of menus at the itemization graphical user interface in response to user entry at a 10 key number pad of the keyboard, wherein entry of a key of the 10 key number pad causes addition of an item descriptor and selection of one the plurality of menus, and wherein selection of the plurality of menus corresponds to selecting the information identifying the item.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a pre-itemization process prior to performing the itemization process on the item, the pre-itemization process comprising:

setting up a customer if a customer does not exist for an itemization task associated with the item; and

setting up a job if a job does not exist for the itemization task.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating a first plurality of predefined menu choices in a predefined sequential order with a first toggle, each of the first plurality of predefined sequential menu choices associated with a descriptor of an item; and

receiving data corresponding to user input selecting the first toggle,

wherein selecting each of the plurality of menus at the itemization graphical user interface in response to user entry at the 10 key number pad comprises selecting each of the first plurality of predefined menu choices in the predefined sequential order.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the first camera and second camera are internet protocol cameras.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating searchable image metatags for the first photo and the second photo using at least the received information identifying the item; and

transmitting the first photo and second photo over a network to a server for storage.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating searchable image metatags for the first photo and the second photo using at least the received information identifying the item; and

storing the first photo and second photo on a storage.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the steps of displaying on a display the first field of view and the second field of view, receiving data generated by a user by physical manipulation of one or more user input devices of the computer, and performing a photography process in response to receiving data comprising information identifying an item are repeated for a plurality of items.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the first camera and second camera are an integrated camera module with a first field of view and a second field of view, and wherein the integrated camera module takes the first field of view photo and second field of view photo.