Commodity information reading apparatus and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11069203-B2
Application number	US-201916689250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Feb 20, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a code symbol reading unit (first reading unit) reads a barcode (code symbol) attached to a commodity from images of the commodity captured by an image control unit (imaging unit) using a first camera, a second camera, and a third camera. An electronic watermark reading unit (second reading unit) reads an electronic watermark attached to the commodity from the images. An object recognition unit (commodity recognition unit) recognizes the commodity from the images. Further, a commodity identification unit (commodity identification unit) identifies the commodity appearing in the images based on at least one of a reading result of the code symbol reading unit, a reading result of the electronic watermark reading unit, and a recognition result of the object recognition unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A commodity information reading apparatus, comprising:
an imaging component for capturing an image of a commodity;
a first reader for reading a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image;
a second reader for reading an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image;
a commodity identification component for identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of a reading result of the first reader and a reading result of the second reader; and
a commodity recognition component for recognizing the commodity from the image, wherein the commodity identification component identifies the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of the reading result of the first reader, the reading result of the second reader, and a recognition result of the commodity recognition component.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, if the reading result of the first reader or the reading result of the second reader is obtained, the commodity recognition component identifies the commodity based on the reading result, and
if the reading result of the first reader and the reading result of the second reader are not obtained, the commodity identification component identifies the commodity based on the recognition result of the commodity recognition component.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a commodity provided without the code symbol and without the electronic watermark is held in a tray and imaged by the imaging component.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a wireless tag reader for reading tag information of a wireless tag from the tray.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the code symbol associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic watermark associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first reader is a barcode reader.

8. A method for a computer controlling a commodity information reading apparatus to perform the following functions:
capturing an image of a commodity;
reading a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image;
reading an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image;
identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of a reading result of reading the code symbol and a reading result of reading the electronic watermark;
recognizing the commodity from the image; and
identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of the reading result of reading the code symbol, the reading result of reading the electronic watermark, and a recognition result of recognizing the commodity.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein, if the reading result of reading the code symbol or the reading result of reading the electronic watermark is obtained, further comprising identifying the commodity based on the reading result, and
if the reading result of reading the code symbol and the reading result of reading the electronic watermark are not obtained, further comprising identifying the commodity based on recognizing the commodity.

10. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising reading tag information of a wireless tag.

11. A commodity information system, comprising:
a server comprising data of code symbols, electronic watermarks, and commodity images; and
a plurality of commodity information reading apparatuses in communication with the server, each commodity information reading apparatus comprising:
an imaging component for capturing an image of a commodity;
a first reader for reading a code symbol associated with the commodity from the image;
a second reader for reading an electronic watermark associated with the commodity from the image;
a commodity identification component for identifying the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of a reading result of the first reader and a reading result of the second reader; and

a commodity recognition component for recognizing the commodity from the image, wherein the commodity identification component identifies the commodity appearing in the image based on at least one of the reading result of the first reader, the reading result of the second reader, and a recognition result of the commodity recognition component.

12. The commodity information system according to claim 11 , wherein, if the reading result of the first reader or the reading result of the second reader is obtained, the commodity recognition component identifies the commodity based on the reading result, and
if the reading result of the first reader and the reading result of the second reader are not obtained, the commodity identification component identifies the commodity based on the recognition result of the commodity recognition component.

13. The commodity information system according to claim 11 , wherein a commodity provided without the code symbol and without the electronic watermark is held in a tray and imaged by the imaging component.

14. The commodity information system according to claim 13 , further comprising a wireless tag reader for reading tag information of a wireless tag from the tray.

15. The commodity information system according to claim 11 , wherein the code symbol associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity.

16. The commodity information system according to claim 11 , wherein the electronic watermark associated with the commodity is attached to the commodity or is attached to packaging of the commodity.

17. The commodity information system according to claim 11 , wherein the first reader is a barcode reader.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Iizaka Hitoshi
• Kikuchi Jun
• Nozawa Makoto
• Gotanda Tsuyoshi
• Sugiyama Tomonori
• Konishi Shota

Classifications

• G06Q20/208 Primary

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

• G07G1/0018 Primary

  Constructional details, e.g. of drawer, printing means, input means · CPC title

• G06K17/0022

  arrangements or provisions for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device ("transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L) · CPC title

• G07G1/12

  electronically operated · CPC title

• G07G1/0063

  with means for detecting the geometric dimensions of the article of which the code is read, such as its size or height, for the verification of the registration · CPC title