Self-Service Method and Device

• US 20190164142A1
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Published: 05/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2017
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Shanghai Yuepu Investment Center
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Malong Technologies Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Scott, Matthew Robert, Huang, Dinglong, Fu, Kai
• Granted Patent: US 10,636,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/583 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1092 sensing by means of TV-scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0072 with means for detecting the weight of the article of which the code is read, for the verification of the registration weighing combined with recording means, e.g. in weighing scale, G01G19/415
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0081 the reader being a portable scanner or data reader G07G1/009 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided are a self-service method and device. The method includes: acquiring by a camera video data associated with a shopping cart at a distance from a shelf less than a preset value; determining whether an article is being placed into the shopping cart, based on identification of the video data; if yes, acquiring an ID of the shopping cart, determining the placed article and associating the ID with the article; displaying a total sum of all articles associated with the ID to the user when detecting the shopping cart corresponding to the ID is located in a preset payment area in the shopping mall; and executing a permitting procedure for allowing the shopping cart corresponding to the ID to pass upon reception of a message fed back from the payment area and indicating that the total sum corresponding to the ID has been cleared.

Claims

1. A self-service method, applicable to a shopping mall provided with a plurality of shelves and a plurality of shopping carts, wherein each of the shelves is provided with a camera, the shopping carts are respectively pre-provided with different electronic tags, the different electronic tags correspond to different IDs, and the method comprises:

acquiring, by the camera of each of the shelves, video data associated with the shopping cart at a distance from the shelf less than a preset value;

determining, based on identification of the video data, whether an article is being placed into the shopping cart;

acquiring, if it is determined that an article is being placed into the shopping cart, the ID of the shopping cart, determining the placed article, and associating the ID with the article;

displaying to a user a total sum of all articles associated with the ID, when detecting the shopping cart corresponding to the ID is located in a preset payment area of the shopping mall; and

executing a permitting procedure for allowing the shopping cart corresponding to the ID to pass, upon reception of a message fed back from the payment area and indicating that the total sum corresponding to the ID has been cleared.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the shelves is further provided with an electronic tag reader, the electronic tag reader is configured to acquire the ID contained in the electronic tag of the shopping cart which is away from the shelf at a distance less than a certain value;

the step of acquiring the ID of the shopping cart, determining the placed article and associating the ID with the article comprises;

acquiring the ID of the shopping cart by the electronic tag reader, and identifying a picture of article captured by the camera so as to determine the placed article.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of the shelves corresponds to a certain type of article within a preset period of time;

the step of identifying a picture of article captured by the camera so as to determine the placed article comprises;

shooting the article by the camera to capture a picture of article; and

performing a first matching procedure, in which the captured picture of article is matched with each of pre-stored pictures of the article on the shelf, so as to determine an article corresponding to the captured picture of article.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein if the article corresponding to the captured picture of article cannot be determined through the first matching procedure, a second matching procedure is performed, in which the captured picture of article is matched with pre-stored pictures of all articles in the shopping mall, so as to determine the article corresponding to the picture of article.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a prompt message if the acquisition of the ID of the shopping cart or the determination of the placed article fails, wherein the prompt message is configured to prompt the user to make payment face to face.

6. A self-service device, applicable to a shopping mall provided with a plurality of shelves and a plurality of shopping carts, wherein each of the shelves is provided with a camera, the shopping carts are respectively pre-provided with different electronic tags, and the different electronic tags correspond to different IDs, the device comprising:

an acquiring module configured to acquire, by the camera of each of the shelves, video data associated with the shopping cart which is away from the shelf at a distance less than a preset value;

a determining module configured to determine, based on identification of the video data, whether an article is being placed into the shopping cart;

an associating module configured to acquire the ID of the shopping cart, determine the placed article, and associate the ID with the article, if it is determined that an article is being placed into the shopping cart;

a displaying module configured to display to a user a total sum of all articles associated with the ID, when detecting the shopping cart corresponding to the ID is located in a preset payment area of the shopping mall; and

an executing module configured to execute a permitting procedure for allowing the shopping cart corresponding to the ID to pass, upon reception of a message fed back from the payment area and indicating that the total sum corresponding to the ID has been cleared.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein each of the shelves is further provided with an electronic tag reader;

the electronic tag reader is configured to acquire the ID contained in the electronic tag of the shopping cart which is away from the shelf at a distance less than a certain value;

the associating module is configured to;

acquire the ID of the shopping cart by the electronic tag reader, and identify a picture of article captured by the camera so as to determine the placed article.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein each of the shelves corresponds to a certain type of article within a preset period of time;

the identifying a picture of article captured by the camera so as to determine the placed article, performed by the associating module, comprises;

shooting the article by the camera to capture a picture of article; and

performing a first matching procedure, in which the captured picture of article is matched with each of pre-stored pictures of the article on the shelf, so as to determine an article corresponding to the captured picture of article.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device further comprises a processing module configured to perform a second matching procedure, in which the captured picture of article is matched with pre-stored pictures of all articles in the shopping mall, so as to determine the article corresponding to the picture of article, if the article corresponding to the captured picture of article cannot be determined through the first matching procedure.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device further comprises:

a prompting module configured to generate a prompt message if the acquisition of the ID of the shopping cart or the determination of the placed article fails, wherein the prompt message is configured to prompt the user to make payment face to face.