Data reading system and method with user feedback for improved exception handling and item modeling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10055626-B2
Application number	US-201615371083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 6, 2016
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A checkout system for data reading, and related methods of use, the checkout system including one or more data reading devices with a conveyor for transporting items toward a read zone of the data reading devices, and an exception identification system capable of identifying exception items transported through the read zone without being successfully identified by the data reader. The checkout system includes an exception handling system operable to receive exception handling input for resolving an exception associated with the exception item, and a feedback system for receiving the exception handling input and determining whether and how to adjust an object recognition model of the data reading devices to improve performance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An automated optical code reading and control system, comprising
a data reader including an object recognition model, the object recognition model including one or more algorithms defining parameters for identifying items passing through a read zone of the data reader;
a conveyor system configured to transport items through the read zone of the data reader;
an exception identification system configured to detect an exception item that has been transported into the read zone without being successfully identified by the data reader;
an exception handling system configured to receive exception handling input for resolving an exception associated with the exception item;
a feedback system in operable communication with the object recognition model and the exception handling system, the feedback system configured to receive the exception handling input associated with handling the exception, the feedback system further configured to update the one or more algorithms to adjust the parameters of the object recognition model based, at least in part, on the exception handling input; and
an input mechanism for receiving a weight correlation factor for each of one or more operators of the data reader, and wherein the one or more algorithms of the object recognition model is updated based, at least in part, on the weight correlation factor.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an imaging system configured to acquire an exception image of the exception item; and
a display having a display screen configured to: (a) present the exception image of the exception item, and (b) receive the exception handling input for resolving the exception.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the display screen is further configured to present the exception image and one or more selectable icons for resolving the exception.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the exception identification system is further configured to generate the one or more selectable icons for resolving the exception based in part on the exception handling input.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database having stored therein stock item information for the exception item, wherein the feedback system is in operable communication with the database, the feedback system configured to query the database, compare the stock item information for the exception item with the exception handling input for resolving the exception, and determine whether the received exception handling input corresponds to the stock item information for the exception item.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the feedback system is further configured to generate a second weight correlation factor for each of one or more operators of the data reader and store the second weight correlation factor in a memory of the data reader, wherein the second weight correlation factor is based, at least in part, on the determination of whether the received exception handling input corresponds to the stock item information for the exception item, and wherein the one or more algorithms of the object recognition model is updated based, at least in part, on the second weight correlation factor.

7. A method of operation for an automated data reading system, comprising the steps of:
moving, via a conveyor, items along an item path through a read zone of a data reader, the data reader including an object recognition model, the object recognition model including one or more algorithms defining parameters for identifying items passing through the read zone;
detecting, via an exception identification system, an exception item that has been transported into the read zone of the data reader without successful identification by the data reader;
resolving, via an exception handling system, an exception associated with the exception item by receiving exception handling input;
receiving, via a feedback system, the exception handling input associated with handling the exception;
determining, via the feedback system, adjustment instructions for updating the one or more algorithms of the objection recognition model based on the exception handling input;
adjusting the one or more algorithms of the object recognition model based on the adjustment instructions,
querying, via the feedback system, a database having stored therein stock item information for the exception item, wherein the feedback system is in operable communication with the database, to compare the stock item information for the exception item with the exception handling input for resolving the exception;
determining, via the feedback system, whether the received exception handling input corresponds to the stock item information for the exception item;
generating, via the feedback system, a weight correlation factor for each of one or more operators of the data reader based, in part, on the determination of whether the received exception handing input corresponds to the stock item information for the exception item; and
adjusting, via the feedback system, the one or more algorithms of the object recognition model based at least in part on the weight correlation factor.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
capturing, via an imaging system, an exception image of the exception item as the exception item is moved along the item path through the read zone;
displaying, via a display system, the exception image of the exception item on a display screen; and
receiving, via the display system, the exception handling input for resolving the exception.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, presenting, via the display system, the exception image and one or more selectable icons for resolving the exception.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, generating, via the exception identification system, the one or more selectable icons for resolving the exception based in part on the exception handling input.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, via an input mechanism, a second weight correlation factor for each of one or more operators of the data reader; and
adjusting the one or more algorithms of the object recognition model based at least in part on the second weight correlation factor for each of the one or more operators of the data reader.

12. An automated optical code reading and control system, comprising
a data reader including an object recognition model, the object recognition model including one or more algorithms defining parameters for identifying items passing through a read zone of the data reader;
a conveyor system configured to transport items through the read zone of the data reader;
an exception identification system configured to detect an exception item that has been transported into the read zone without being successfully identified by the data reader;
an exception handling system configured to receive exception handling input for resolving an exception associated with the exception item;
a feedback system in operable communication with the object recognition model and the exception handling system, the feedback system configured to receive the exception handling input associated with handling the exception, the feedback system further configured to update the one or more algorithms to adjust the parameters of the object recognition model based, at least in part, on the exception handling input;
a database having stored therein stock item information for the exception item, wherein the feedback system is in operable communication with the database, the feedback system configured to query the database, compare the stock item information for the exception item with the exception handling input for resolving the e

Assignees

• Datalogic Usa Inc

Inventors

• Beghtol Justin
• Hamidat Mohamed
• Svetal Michael P

Classifications

• G07G1/0045 Primary

  with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader · CPC title

• G06K7/10861

  sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels (postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48) · CPC title

• G06K7/10792 Primary

  Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned · CPC title