Self-deposit apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10332086-B2
Application number	US-201816213161-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Feb 2, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure deals with an apparatus and method associated with a self-depositing of items. In exemplary embodiments, an item may be self-deposited using a self-deposit apparatus. In exemplary embodiments, self-deposit apparatus may include an optical reader, first scale, image capturing device, a bin and a second scale. The first scale may be coupled with the optical reader and image capturing device. The item may be placed on self-deposit apparatus and the weight and image may be captured. The self-deposit apparatus may extract the dimensions of the item from the captured image. The self-deposit apparatus may verify the item intended for the self-deposit is associated item identified by the identifier by matching the weight, dimension and image to a stored item weight, dimensions and image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus configured to facilitate depositing of items comprising:
a display device;
optical reader configured to read an identifier associated with an item intended for deposit;
a first scale configured to support the item and to determine a first weight of the item;
an image capturing device configured to capture an image of the item while the item is supported by the first scale;
a bin disposed adjacent to the first scale, the bin including side walls that define an interior area for receiving the item after determining the first weight and capturing the image;
a second scale, separate and distinct from the first scale, the second scale forming a bottom surface of the bin, the second scale configured to determine a second weight of the item after the item is placed in the bin; and
a controller electronically coupled to the display device, the optical reader, the image capturing device, the first scale, and the second scale configured to (i) generate one or more graphical user interfaces on the display device to facilitate the depositing of items process, (ii) extract a set of dimensions of the item from the image, (iii) determine a probability that the item deposited in the bin is associated the identifier read by the optical reader based on the captured image, the set of dimensions, the first weight and second weight, (iv) verify that the item deposited in the bin is associated with the identifier read by the optical reader based on the probability, (v) query a stored weight of each of a plurality of items including the item disposed in the bin, (vi) combine the stored weights, (vii) compare a combined stored weight to a combined weight of the plurality of items in the bin captured by the second scale.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to query a central database using the identifier associated with the item to retrieve a stored image of the item, a stored weight of the item and stored dimensions of the item.

3. The apparatus in claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the image of the item intended for deposit to the stored image of the item, compare the set of dimensions of the item intended for deposit to the stored dimensions of the item, and compare the first weight of the item intended for deposit to the stored weight of the item.

4. The apparatus in claim 3 , wherein the probability is determined by assigning variable weights to the comparison of the weight, the image and dimensions.

5. The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the controller uses image mapping of the captured image of the item intended for deposit to estimate the set dimensions of the item intended to be returned.

6. The apparatus in claim 1 , further comprising: a second image capturing device disposed over the bin.

7. The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the bin is configured to receive the plurality of items including the item for deposit, the first scale is configured to individually weigh each of the plurality of items, and the second scale is configured to collectively weigh the plurality of items.

8. The apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the bin includes a conveyer belt to transport the item to another location after the item is disposed in the bin.

9. A method for verifying deposited items, the method comprising:
reading, via an optical reader, an identifier associated with an item intended for deposit;
supporting, via a first scale, the item;
determining, via the first scale, a first weight of the item;
capturing an image, via an image capturing device, of the item supported by the first scale;
receiving the item in a bin disposed adjacent to the first scale after determining the first weight and capturing the image of the item, wherein the bin includes side walls that define an interior area;
determining, via a second scale disposed at a base of the bin and distinct from the first scale, a second weight of the item after the item is placed in the bin wherein, the second scale forming a bottom surface of the bin;
generating, via a controller electronically coupled to a display device, the optical reader, the image capturing device, the first scale, and the second scale, one or more graphical user interfaces on the display device to facilitate the depositing of items process;
extracting, via the controller, a set of dimensions of the item from the image;
determining, via the controller, a probability that the item deposited in the bin is associated the identifier read by the optical reader based on the captured image, the set of dimensions, the first weight and second weight
verifying, via the controller, that the item deposited in the bin is associated with the identifier read by the optical reader based on the probability;
querying, via the controller, a stored weight of each of a plurality of items including the item disposed in the bin;
combining, via the controller, the stored weights; and
comparing, via the controller, a combined stored weight to a combined weight of the plurality of items in the bin captured by the second scale.

10. The method in claim 9 , further comprising querying, via the controller, a central database using the identifier associated with the item to be deposited, a stored image of the item, a stored weight of the item and a stored of dimensions of the item.

11. The method in claim 10 , further comprising:
comparing, via the controller, the image of the item intended for deposit to the stored image of the item;
comparing the set of dimensions of the item to be deposited to the stored dimensions of the item; and
comparing the first and second weight of the item intended for deposit to the stored weight of the item.

12. The method in claim 11 , wherein the probability is determined by assigning variable weights to the comparison of the weight, image and dimensions.

13. The method in claim 10 , wherein extracting the set of dimensions from the image comprises estimating the set of dimensions based on image mapping of the image of the item.

14. The method in claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving the plurality of items in the bin; and
determining, via the second scale, a combined weight of the plurality of items including the item.

15. An apparatus configured to facilitate depositing of items comprising:
a display device;
a first scale configured to support the item and to determine a first weight of the item;
an image capturing device configured to capture an image of the item while the item is supported by the first scale;
a bin disposed adjacent to the first scale, the bin including side walls that define an interior area for receiving the item after determining the first weight and capturing the image;
a second scale, separate and distinct from the first scale, the second scale forming a bottom surface of the bin, the second scale configured to determine a second weight of the item after the item is placed in the bin; and
a controller electronically coupled to the display device, the optical reader, the image capturing device, the first scale, and the second scale configured to (i) generate one or more graphical user interfaces on the display device to facilitate the depositing of items process, (ii) extract a set of dimensions of the item from the image, (iii) verify that the item deposited in the bin is associated with an identifier based on the captured image, the set of dimensions, and a comparison of the first weight determined by the first scale and the second weight determined by the second scale, (iv) determine incremental increases in weight detected by the second scale as each of a

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Clark Jimmie Russell
• Stone Jeffrey
• Payne Michael Lawerance

Classifications

• G07F7/06 Primary

  by returnable containers {, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value}, e.g. bottles · CPC title

• G06Q20/18 Primary

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G07G1/0054

  with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/10722

  Photodetector array or CCD scanning · CPC title