Inventory event detection using residual heat information
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- an inventory holder comprising a plurality of faces, a first face of the plurality of faces comprising a plurality of compartments configured to receive inventory items;
a temperature changing device configured to at least heat the inventory items;
a thermal imaging device configured to capture thermal images of at least the first face of the plurality of faces when the first face is oriented towards the thermal imaging device; and
a computing device configured to;
instruct warming, via the temperature changing device, of an inventory item to be stowed in a compartment of the inventory holder;
instruct stowing of the inventory item in the compartment;
instruct, in response to an input signal, the thermal imaging device to capture one or more thermal images of the first face;
identify, based at least in part on the one or more thermal images, a temperature difference between the inventory item stowed in the compartment of the inventory holder and a portion of the inventory holder surrounding the inventory item; and
determine, based at least in part on the temperature difference, that the inventory item was successfully stowed in the compartment of the inventory holder.
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Abstract
An inventory management system is described. The inventory management system may be configured to use thermal image data to determine that an item was successfully placed in a storage structure. As part of this process, thermal images may be processed to identify instances of temperature differences that correspond to the item. These temperature differences may be evidence of a recent touch by an operator or may be generated by temperature changing devices during item placement.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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an inventory holder comprising a plurality of faces, a first face of the plurality of faces comprising a plurality of compartments configured to receive inventory items; a temperature changing device configured to at least heat the inventory items; a thermal imaging device configured to capture thermal images of at least the first face of the plurality of faces when the first face is oriented towards the thermal imaging device; and a computing device configured to; instruct warming, via the temperature changing device, of an inventory item to be stowed in a compartment of the inventory holder; instruct stowing of the inventory item in the compartment; instruct, in response to an input signal, the thermal imaging device to capture one or more thermal images of the first face; identify, based at least in part on the one or more thermal images, a temperature difference between the inventory item stowed in the compartment of the inventory holder and a portion of the inventory holder surrounding the inventory item; and determine, based at least in part on the temperature difference, that the inventory item was successfully stowed in the compartment of the inventory holder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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instructing, by a computing device, application of a change in temperature to at least one of an item to be placed in a storage structure or the storage structure; instructing, by the computing device, placement of the item in the storage structure; instructing capture, by a thermal imaging device, of one or more thermal images depicting the storage structure and the item after the item has been placed in the storage structure, the item having a first temperature that is different than a second temperature of the storage structure; and determining, by the computing device, that the item was successfully placed in the storage structure based at least in part on the one or more thermal images. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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accessing one or more thermal images depicting a face of an inventory holder, the inventory holder comprising a plurality of compartments, the one or more thermal images captured by a thermal imaging device; processing the one or more thermal images to identify a residual heat region present in the one or more thermal images, the residual heat region caused by application of a change in temperature during placement of an inventory item in the inventory holder; determining a first position with respect to the plurality of compartments that corresponds to the residual heat region; comparing the residual heat region and inventory information to confirm that the inventory item is located at the first position; and storing, in a database, information about the inventory item being located at the first position. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification