Method of and apparatus for identifying consumer products in a retail environment when bar code symbols on the products are not readable or have been removed from packaging
US7578442B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 2007 |
| Grant date | Aug 25, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06K2207/1012
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of and system for identifying a consumer product in a retail store environment when a bar code symbol on a product is not readable or has been removed from the product's packaging. The system comprises a database system, and a digital image capturing and processing system installed in the retail environment and in data communication with the database system. The digital image capturing and processing system is capable of capturing one or more digital images for each consumer product sold in the retail store environment, and storing the digital images in the database subsystem, along with product identifying information for each consumer product. When the imaged bar code symbol happens to be unreadable, or when the bar code symbol label happens to have fallen off or have been removed from the packaging, then one or more digital images of the consumer product are compared with digital images stored in the database subsystem to identify the consumer product graphically represented in the digital images.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.