Method and device of automatically determining a planogram in vending
US9972158B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2016 |
| Grant date | May 15, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F9/026
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method is described for the automatic determination of a planogram in a vending machine using image processing. Novel steps include the use of a Gaussian map in a two-dimensional color space, such as the HS plane, to create high-dimensionally color vectors for all and for selected portions of images. Multiple feature detection/extraction algorithms are run between multiple idealized reference images for a product and one image from one vending machine coil location. The large resulting candidate feature list is pruned in a series of steps using both color and gray-scale color vectors and small area image matching around features. Remaining candidate features are ranked by a RANSAC outlier removal step, with the top ranked product then being the correct product in that coil in the planogram. Steps are repeated for all coils in a vending machine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.