Systems and methods for assessing products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11733229-B2
Application number	US-202217696307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2022
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses, systems, and methods are provided herein useful to assessing products. In some embodiments, an enclosure for use in assessing products comprises a housing including a door configured to allow placement of a product within the housing, a product holding surface located within the housing allowing pictures to be taken through the product holding surface and configured to support the product, a first image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a first perspective, a second image capture device configured to capture an image of the product from a second perspective, and wherein the image of the product from the second perspective is captured through the product holding surface, and a lighting element, wherein the lighting element is located within the housing, and wherein the lighting element is configured to provide lighting within the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An enclosure for use in assessing products, the enclosure comprising:
a housing, wherein the housing includes an opening configured to allow placement of a product into the housing;
a product holding surface, wherein at least a portion of the product holding surface is within the housing and comprises a substantially transparent material that allows images to be taken therethrough, and wherein the product holding surface is configured to support the product;
a first image capture device, wherein the first image capture device overlays a portion of the product holding surface, and wherein the first image capture device is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from an above the product perspective; and
a second image capture device, wherein the second image capture device underlays a portion of the product holding surface, wherein the second image capture device is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from a below the product perspective, and wherein the image of the product is captured by the second image capture device through the product holding surface.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 ,
further comprising a lighting element positioned within the housing or proximate the housing;
wherein the enclosure further comprises a controller device;
wherein the controller device is communicatively coupled to the first image capture device, the second image capture device, and the lighting element; and
wherein the controller device is configured to control action of the first image capture device, the second image capture device, and the lighting element.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a door covering the opening.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the product holding surface is made of one or more of plastic and glass.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the product holding surface includes a product barrier.

6. The enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the product barrier comprises one or more of an incline, a ledge, a ridge, and a wall.

7. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the product holding surface divides the housing into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the housing is above the product holding surface and the second portion of the housing is below the product holding surface, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are of generally equal sizes.

8. A system for assessing products, the system comprising:
an enclosure, wherein the enclosure includes:
a housing, wherein the housing includes an opening configured to allow placement of a product into the housing;
a product holding surface, wherein at least a portion of the product holding surface is within the housing and comprises a substantially transparent material that allows images to be taken therethrough, and wherein the product holding surface is configured to support the product;
a first image capture device, wherein the first image capture device overlays a portion of the product holding surface, and wherein the first image capture device is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from an above the product perspective; and
a second image capture device, wherein the second image capture device underlays a portion of the product holding surface, wherein the second image capture device is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from a below the product perspective, and wherein the image of the product is captured by the second image capture device through the product holding surface;

a controller device, wherein the controller device is communicatively coupled to the first image capture device, and wherein the controller device includes:
a user input device, wherein the user input device is configured to receive an execution command; and
a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
receive, from the user input device, the execution command;
in response to receipt of the execution command, control the first image capture device; and
transmit, to a remote processing system, an image of the product captured by the first image capture device;

the remote processing system, wherein the remote processing system is communicatively coupled to the controller device, and wherein the remote processing system is configured to:
receive, from the controller device, the image of the product captured by the first image capture device; and
perform, based on the image of the product captured by the first image capture device, an analysis on the product.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a door covering the opening.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the product holding surface divides the housing into a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the housing is above the product holding surface and the second portion of the housing is below the product holding surface, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are of generally equal sizes.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the product holding surface includes a product barrier.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the product barrier comprises one or more of an incline, a ledge, a ridge, and a wall.

13. A method for assessing products, the method comprising:
receiving, in an enclosure, a product, wherein the enclosure includes:
a housing including an opening configured to allow placement of a product into the housing;
a product holding surface, wherein at least a portion of the product holding surface is within the housing and comprises a substantially transparent material that allows images to be taken therethrough;
a first image capture device that overlays a portion of the product holding surface and is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from an above the product perspective; and
a second image capture device, wherein the second image capture device underlays a portion of the product holding surface, wherein the second image capture device is directed toward the product holding surface and configured to capture an image of the product from a below the product perspective, and wherein the image of the product is captured by the second image capture device through the product holding surface;

receiving, via a controller device, an execution command;
causing, by the controller device, the first image capture device to capture the image of the product;
causing, by the controller device, the second image capture device to capture the image of the product; and
transmitting, by the controller device to a remote processing system for analysis, the image of the product captured by the first image capture device and the image of the product captured by the second image capture device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing a lighting element positioned within the housing or proximate the housing.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the product holding surface is made of one or more of plastic and glass.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the product holding surface includes a product barrier.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the product barrier comprises one or more of an incline, a ledge, a ridge, and a wall.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the product holding surface divides the housing into a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion of the

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bohling Joshua T
• Tilmon Chuck E
• Francis Xavier Emily Moneka
• Pumford Daniel J
• Schardt Brian J A
• Mathew Issac
• Nellore Venkataraja
• Savlani Gaurav
• Patel Viraj C
• Agarwal Rahul
• Pushp Pushkar
• Mcteer Jennifer

Classifications

• G01N33/025 Primary

  Fruits or vegetables · CPC title

• G06V10/147

  Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses (fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19) · CPC title

• G06V20/46

  Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames · CPC title

• G06V20/52

  Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) · CPC title

• G06V20/64

  Three-dimensional [3D] objects · CPC title