Scanner with control logic for resolving package labeling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10262176-B1
Application number	US-201715441006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Feb 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 16, 2019
Grant date	Apr 16, 2019

Abstract

An automatic object identification scanner is equipped with recognition units that provide detection results for objects and a controller that resolves potential conflicts in the results. One form of recognition unit detects product identifiers and flags in a digital payload that is encoded redundantly across packaging or labels applied to packaging. The controller gets detection results and evaluates them relative to a state data structure, which maintains state for identifiers obtained within a time interval, such as a timeout interval or waiting period after a detection result. Identifiers are reported to a POS system depending on logic that evaluates code priority and pending waiting periods.

First claim

We claim:

1. A scanner comprising:
an illumination source;
an imager for capturing plural image frames of a package in a view volume;
a first processor coupled to the imager and illumination source;
memory configured to store state of one or more detection results detected within a time period;
the first processor configured to execute a controller process, the controller process comprising instructions executed by the first processor to:
receive a detection result from a recognition unit, the detection result comprising an outer or inner code obtained from analyzing one or more of the plural image frames;
analyze the detection result to determine whether to initiate one of plural types of waiting periods based on type of detection result and comparing of the detection result with state of a prior detection result, a waiting period being set to control reporting of an outer code relative to an inner code on the package, wherein the controller process applies a first type of waiting period to control reporting of an inner code after detection of an outer code, and a second type of waiting period to delay reporting of an inner code until the second type of waiting period ends.

2. The scanner of claim 1 wherein the package comprises a family pack, and the outer code comprises an identifier of the family pack, and the inner code comprises an identifier of a member of the family pack.

3. The scanner of claim 2 wherein the outer code is sensed from an overwrap of the family pack, and the inner code is sensed from packaging of a member of the family pack.

4. The scanner of claim 1 wherein the package comprises a price change label, and the outer code comprises an identifier of the price change label, and the inner code comprises a separate product identifier on the package to which the price change label is applied.

5. The scanner of claim 1 wherein the scanner comprises at least one processor, the at least one processor including the first processor, the at least one processor configured to execute the recognition unit, the recognition unit configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded, the digital payload comprising an item identifier and a flag indicating whether the item identifier comprises an outer code.

6. The scanner of claim 1 wherein the scanner includes at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to execute the recognition unit, the recognition unit configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded, the digital payload comprising an item identifier and a flag indicating whether the item identifier comprises an inner code;
the controller process further configured to trigger logic to prioritize reporting of an outer code over the inner code when an outer code is detected in a waiting period triggered by the flag.

7. A device for automatic recognition of objects, the device comprising:
an imager;
at least one processor coupled to the imager via a bus;
the at least one processor configured to execute a controller process and plural recognition units, the controller process comprises instructions executed by the at least one processor to:
obtain detection results from the plural recognition units based on at least one frame captured by the imager of at least one object in a view volume of the imager;
determine whether the detection results include an identifier for which a waiting period should be triggered to prevent a conflict between an outer and inner code obtained from the detection results for an object; and
evaluate a state data structure in which prior detection result data is stored for a waiting period to determine whether to report an identifier from the detection results or a prior detection result in the state data structure.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the object comprises a family pack, and the outer code comprises an identifier of the family pack, and the inner code comprises an identifier of a member of the family pack.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the outer code is sensed from an overwrap of the family pack, and the inner code is sensed from packaging of a member of the family pack.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the object comprises a price change label, and the outer code comprises an identifier of the price change label, and the inner code comprises a separate product identifier on the object to which the price change label is applied.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein the plural recognition units include a first recognition unit configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded, the digital payload comprising an item identifier and a flag indicating whether the item identifier comprises an outer code.

12. The device of claim 7 wherein one of the plural recognition units comprises a first recognition unit executing within a digital logic component of the device and configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded, the digital payload comprising an item identifier and a flag indicating whether the item identifier comprises an inner code;
the controller process further configured to trigger logic to prioritize reporting of an outer code over the inner code when an outer code is detected in a waiting period triggered by the flag.

13. A method executing within a processor of an automatic product identification scanner, the method comprising:
obtaining detection results from a recognition unit, the recognition unit configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded within an image captured of an object in a view volume of the scanner; and
analyzing a first detection result to determine whether to initiate one of plural types of waiting periods based on type of detection result and comparing of the first detection result with state of a prior detection result, the waiting period being set to control reporting of an outer code relative to an inner code obtained from a recognition result obtained from sensing the object;
wherein the controller process applies a first type of waiting period to control reporting of an inner code after detection of an outer code, and a second type of waiting period to delay reporting of an inner code until the second type of waiting period ends.

14. A method executing within a processor of an automatic product identification scanner, the method comprising:
obtaining a first detection result from a first recognition unit, the recognition unit configured to detect a digital payload from plural contiguous image signal tiles in which the digital payload is redundantly encoded within an image captured of an object in a view volume of the scanner;
obtaining a second detection result from the first or a second recognition unit, based on an image captured of the object; and
analyzing the second detection result to determine whether to execute conflict logic based on type of detection result and comparing of the second detection result with the first detection result, the conflict logic configured to control reporting of a first identifier relative to a second identifier obtained by the first or second recognition units from images of the object.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first detection result comprises the first identifier obtained from the first recognition unit; and further comprising:
dynamically g

Assignees

• Digimarc Corp

Inventors

• Powell Arthur L
• Rodriguez Tony F
• Long Scott M

Classifications

• G06K2007/10524

  Hand-held scanners · CPC title

• G06K7/1408 Primary

  the method being specifically adapted for the type of code · CPC title

• G06K7/1413 Primary

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K19/06028

  using bar codes · CPC title