Systems and methods to check-in shoppers in a cashier-less store

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10650545-B2
Application number	US-201916255573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

Systems and techniques are provided for linking subjects in an area of real space with user accounts. The user accounts are linked with client applications executable on mobile computing devices. A plurality of cameras are disposed above the area. The cameras in the plurality of cameras produce respective sequences of images in corresponding fields of view in the real space. A processing system is coupled to the plurality of cameras. The processing system includes logic to determine locations of subjects represented in the images. The processing system further includes logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of the mobile computing devices executing client applications in the area of real space and matching locations of the mobile computing devices with locations of the subjects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for linking subjects in an area of real space with user accounts, the user accounts being linked with client applications executable on mobile computing devices, comprising:
a processing system configured to receive a plurality of sequences of images of corresponding fields of view in the real space, the processing system including logic to determine locations of identified subjects represented in the images, logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of mobile devices executing client applications in the area of real space, and matching locations of the mobile devices with locations of the subjects, wherein the client applications on the mobile computing devices cause display of semaphore images on the mobile computing devices in the area of real space, and the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of mobile computing devices includes an image recognition engine that determines locations of the mobile computing devices displaying semaphore images.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing devices emit signals usable to indicate locations of the mobile computing devices in the area of real space, and the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts identifies locations of mobile computing devices using the emitted signals.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts operates without use of personal identifying biometric information associated with the user accounts.

4. The system of claim 1 , including a set of semaphore images accessible to the processing system, and wherein the processing system includes logic to accept login communications from a client application on a mobile computing device identifying a user account before matching the user account to an identified subject in the area of real space, and after accepting login communications sends a selected semaphore image from the set of semaphore images to the client application on the mobile device.

5. The system of claim 1 , further including log data structures including a list of inventory items for the identified subjects, the processing system including logic to associate the log data structure for the matched identified subject to the user account for the identified subject.

6. A system for linking subjects in an area of real space with user accounts, the user accounts being linked with client applications executable on mobile computing devices, comprising:
a processing system configured to receive a plurality of sequences of images of corresponding fields of view in the real space, the processing system including logic to determine locations of identified subjects represented in the images, logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of mobile devices executing client applications in the area of real space, and matching locations of the mobile devices with locations of the subjects, the client applications on the mobile computing devices transmit location data to the processing system, wherein the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts includes logic that uses the location data transmitted from the mobile computing device from a plurality of locations over a time interval in the area of real space, the logic further including:
determining that all other mobile computing devices transmitting location information of unmatched user accounts are separated from the mobile computing device by a predetermined distance;
determining a closest unmatched identified subject to the mobile computing device; and
matching the identified unmatched subject with the user account of the client application executing on the mobile computing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the client applications on the mobile computing devices transmit accelerometer data to the processing system, and the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts uses the accelerometer data transmitted from the mobile computing devices.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the mobile computing devices emit signals usable to indicate locations of the mobile computing devices in the area of real space, and the logic to match the identified subjects with user accounts includes a trained network to identify locations of mobile computing devices in the area of real space based on the signals emitted by the mobile computing devices.

9. A method of linking subjects in an area of real space with user accounts, the user accounts being linked with client applications executable on mobile computing devices, the method including:
receiving a plurality of sequences of images of corresponding fields of view in the real space;
determining locations of identified subjects represented in the sequences of images;
matching the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of mobile computing devices executing client applications in the area of real space; and
matching locations of the mobile computing devices with locations of the subjects,
wherein the client applications on the mobile computing devices cause display of semaphore images on the mobile computing devices in the area of real space, and matching the identified subjects with user accounts further includes identifying locations of mobile computing devices using an image recognition engine that determines locations of the mobile computing devices displaying semaphore images.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
the mobile devices emit signals usable to indicate locations of the mobile computing devices in the area of real space; and
matching the identified subjects with user accounts further includes identifying locations of mobile computing devices using the emitted signals.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein matching the identified subjects with user accounts is performed without use of personal identifying biometric information associated with the user accounts.

12. The method of claim 9 , further including accepting login communications from a client application on a mobile computing device identifying a user account before matching the user account to an identified subject in the area of real space, and after accepting login communications sending a selected semaphore image from a set of semaphore images to the client application on the mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 9 , further including associating a log data structure that comprises a list of inventory items for the matched identified subject to the user account for the identified subject.

14. A method of linking subjects in an area of real space with user accounts, the user accounts being linked with client applications executable on mobile computing devices, the method including:
receiving a plurality of sequences of images of corresponding fields of view in the real space;
determining locations of identified subjects represented in the sequences of images;
matching the identified subjects with user accounts by identifying locations of mobile computing devices executing client applications in the area of real space, wherein matching the identified subjects with user accounts further includes using location data transmitted from the mobile computing devices; and
matching locations of the mobile computing devices with locations of the subjects,
the method further including:
matching the identified subjects with user accounts using the location data transmitted from the mobile computing device from a plurality of locations over a time interval in the area of real space, including:
determining that all other mo

Assignees

• Standard Cognition Corp

Inventors

• Fisher Jordan E
• Green Warren
• Fischetti Daniel L

Classifications

• H04W4/029

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06F3/14

  Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} · CPC title