Image-based inventory control system using advanced image recognition
First Claim
1. An inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising:
- a plurality of storage drawers, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects;
an image sensing device configured to capture images of each of the storage drawers;
a data storage device storing reference data for each of a plurality of objects, wherein the reference data includes, for each respective object, an image signature comprising a pixel number distribution representing one or more attributes of an image of the respective object; and
a data processor configured to;
derive an image signature representing attributes of a region of interest of a drawer of the plurality of drawers using an image of the drawer captured by the image sensing device;
compare the derived image signature representing attributes of the region of interest of the drawer to the image signature of the reference data comprising the pixel number distribution for each of the plurality of objects stored in the data storage device; and
determine the identity of an object stored in the region of interest of the drawer based on a result of the comparison of the derived image signature to the stored image signature of the reference data comprising the pixel number distribution for each of the plurality of objects.
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Abstract
Systems for monitoring an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary system includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; and a data storage device storing reference data for each storage drawer. The reference data includes, for each region of interest corresponding to each respective storage drawer, at least one of a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when a stored object is present, and a reference image signature representing attributes of the region of interest when the stored object is not present. A data processor of the system is configured to derive an image signature representing attributes of a region of interest corresponding to a drawer using a captured image of the drawer; and determine an inventory condition of the drawer according to the stored reference data corresponding to the region of interest and the derived image signature representing attributes of the captured image of the region of interest.
49 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising:
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a plurality of storage drawers, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; an image sensing device configured to capture images of each of the storage drawers; a data storage device storing reference data for each of a plurality of objects, wherein the reference data includes, for each respective object, an image signature comprising a pixel number distribution representing one or more attributes of an image of the respective object; and a data processor configured to; derive an image signature representing attributes of a region of interest of a drawer of the plurality of drawers using an image of the drawer captured by the image sensing device; compare the derived image signature representing attributes of the region of interest of the drawer to the image signature of the reference data comprising the pixel number distribution for each of the plurality of objects stored in the data storage device; and determine the identity of an object stored in the region of interest of the drawer based on a result of the comparison of the derived image signature to the stored image signature of the reference data comprising the pixel number distribution for each of the plurality of objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for using in an inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising a plurality of storage drawers, each storage drawer including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects, an image sensing device configured to capture images of each of the storage drawers, a data storage device storing reference data for each of a plurality of objects, wherein the reference data includes, for each respective object, an image signature comprising a pixel number distribution representing one or more attributes of an image of the respective object,
the method comprising: -
deriving an image signature representing attributes of a region of interest of a drawer of the plurality of drawers using an image of the drawer captured by the image sensing device; comparing the derived image signature representing attributes of the region of interest of the drawer to the image signature of the reference data comprising the pixel number distribution for each of the plurality of objects stored in the data storage device; and determining the identity of an object stored in the region of interest of the drawer based on a result of the comparison of the derived image signature to the reference data for each of the plurality of objects. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification