Rapid onboarding system for visual item classification
US10621472B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 29, 2019 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 29, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V10/60
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
System that facilitates rapid onboarding of an autonomous (cashier-less) store by capturing images of items in the store's catalog from different angles, with varying backgrounds and lighting conditions, and that automatically builds a classifier training dataset from these images. The system may have cameras in different positions, lights supporting variable illumination, and monitor screens that generate different background colors. It may have an input device such as a barcode reader, and an operator terminal that prompts operators to place items into the imaging system in the necessary orientations. Once an item is placed in the imaging system, a fully automated process may generate a sequence of background colors, a sequence of lighting conditions, and may capture and process images from all of the cameras to create training images. Training images for an item may be generated in seconds, compared to many minutes per item using manual image capture and processing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.