Self-checkout method and system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10617237-B2
Application number	US-201815978185-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2018
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A self-checkout method includes an image recognizing system performing a first recognition process on at least a product placed on a checkout conveyor to obtain an item information corresponding to the at least a product from a product database; performing a second recognition process for positioning a first product of the at least a product to determine a position of the first product relative to the checkout conveyor when the image recognizing system fails to recognize the first product based on the first recognition process; controlling an indicating light to markedly label the first product when the position of the first product is determined, and stopping running the checkout conveyor; and resuming running the checkout conveyor after the first product is removed or when no product cannot be recognized by the first recognition process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-checkout method, comprising:
an image recognizing system performing a first recognition process on at least a product placed on a checkout conveyor to obtain an item information corresponding to the at least a product from a product database;
performing a second recognition process for positioning a first product of the at least a product to determine a position of the first product relative to the checkout conveyor when the image recognizing system fails to recognize the first product based on the first recognition process;
controlling an indicating light to markedly label the first product when the position of the first product is determined, and stopping running the checkout conveyor; and
resuming running the checkout conveyor after the first product is removed or when no product cannot be recognized by the first recognition process.

2. The self-checkout method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining a price corresponding to the first product from the product database when the image recognizing system successfully recognizes the first product based on the first recognition process; and
in response to receiving a checkout signal, accumulating a grand total of prices corresponding to the at least a product before receiving the checkout signal to perform a checkout operation.

3. The self-checkout method of claim 2 , wherein when one or more of the at least a product are successfully recognized based on the first recognition process, the checkout signal is sent out according a timer when no other product is recognized after a predetermined time.

4. The self-checkout method of claim 2 , wherein the checkout signal is sent out when an indicator on the checkout conveyor is recognized or detected.

5. The self-checkout method of claim 1 , wherein a recognizing zone is defined on the checkout conveyor, the image recognizing system performs the first recognition process and the second recognition process on the at least a product whichever entering the recognizing zone.

6. The self-checkout method of claim 1 , wherein the first recognition process adopts a color image recognition method and the second recognition process adopts a grayscale image recognition method.

7. The self-checkout method of claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling the indicating light to markedly label the first product comprises:
controlling the indicating light to emit a visible light on the first product.

8. The self-checkout method of claim 7 , wherein the step of controlling the indicating light to emit the visible light on the first product comprises:
rotating a direction of the indicating light to label the first product.

9. The self-checkout method of claim 7 , wherein the step of controlling the indicating light to emit the visible light on the first product comprises:
controlling the checkout conveyor to move and accordingly moving the first product into an illumination range of the indicating light.

10. The self-checkout method of claim 7 , wherein the indicating light comprises a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) lights, and the step of controlling the indicating light to emit the visible light on the first product comprises:
only turning on one or more of the LED lights corresponding to a projection area of the first product to label the first product.

11. The self-checkout method of claim 1 , wherein before the step of the image recognizing system performing the first recognition process on the at least a product placed on the checkout conveyor, the self-checkout method further comprises:
determining whether the at least a product exits on the checkout conveyor.

12. A self-checkout system, comprising:
a checkout conveyor, configured to convey at least a product;
an image recognizing system, configured to perform a first recognition process on the at least a product placed on the checkout conveyor to obtain an item information corresponding to the at least a product from a product database and to perform a second recognition process for positioning a first product of the at least a product when the image recognizing system fails to recognize the first product based on the first recognition process;
an indicating light, configured to selectively emit a visible light onto the checkout conveyor; and
a controller, coupled to the checkout conveyor, the image recognizing system and the indicating light, configured to control the indicating light to markedly label the first product when the position of the first product is determined and stop running the checkout conveyor, and resume running the checkout conveyor after the first product is removed or when no product cannot be recognized.

13. The self-checkout system of claim 12 , wherein the product database comprises product images and prices corresponding to multiple products, the controller obtains a price corresponding to the at least a product, after the image recognizing system performs the first recognition process.

14. The self-checkout system of claim 13 , wherein in response to receiving a checkout signal, the controller accumulates a grand total of prices corresponding to the at least a product before receiving the checkout signal, to perform a checkout operation.

15. The self-checkout system of claim 14 , further comprising a timer, wherein when one or more of the at least a product are successfully recognized based on the first recognition process, the checkout signal is sent out according the timer when no other product is recognized after a predetermined time.

16. The self-checkout system of claim 14 , further comprising an indicator placed on the checkout conveyor, wherein the checkout signal is sent out when the indicator is recognized or detected.

17. The self-checkout system of claim 14 , wherein a recognizing zone is defined on the checkout conveyor, the image recognizing system performs the first recognition process and the second recognition process on the at least a product entering the recognizing zone.

18. The self-checkout system of claim 17 , wherein the first recognition process adopts a color image recognition method and the second recognition process adopts a grayscale image recognition method.

19. The self-checkout system of claim 12 , wherein the controller rotates a direction of the indicating light to label the first product.

20. The self-checkout system of claim 12 , wherein the controller controls the checkout conveyor to move and accordingly moves the first product into an illumination range of the indicating light.

21. The self-checkout system of claim 12 , wherein the indicating light comprises a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) lights, and the controller turns on only one or more LED lights corresponding to a projection area of the first product to label the first product.

22. The self-checkout system of claim 17 , wherein the image recognizing system comprises at least two image capturing devices to aim at the recognizing zone.

23. A self-checkout method, comprising:
an image recognizing system performing a first recognition process on at least a product placed on a checkout conveyor to obtain an item information corresponding to the at least a product from a product database;
performing a second recognition process for positioning a first product of the at least a product to determine a position of the first product relative to the checkout conveyor when the image recognizing system fails to recognize the first product based on the firs

Assignees

• Wistron Corp

Inventors

• Pan Chien-Ming

Classifications

• G07G1/0045

  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

• G06Q20/208

  Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

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

• G06Q20/201

  Price look-up processing, e.g. updating · CPC title

• A47F9/048 Primary

  automatically · CPC title