Scanning optical codes with improved energy efficiency

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12511508-B2
Application number	US-202418883093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2024
Priority date	Oct 19, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for scanning optical codes with improved energy efficiency are disclosed. In some embodiments, a disclosed method includes: obtaining a video captured by a camera; determining, based on a machine learning model, whether an optical code is included in any frame image of the video; presenting a viewable area on a display operatively coupled to the camera, once the video starts to include at least a portion of the optical code; and dynamically adjusting the viewable area based on a size of the optical code in each frame image of the video.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for optical code scanning, comprising:
a camera; a display operatively coupled to the camera; a processor operatively coupled to the camera and the display; and a non-transitory memory storing instructions, that when executed, cause the processor to:
obtain a video captured by the camera,
determine, based on a machine learning model, whether an optical code is included in any frame image of the video,
present a viewable area on the display once the video starts to include at least a portion of the optical code, wherein all pixels outside the viewable area on the display are dimmed, deactivated, or disabled, and
dynamically adjust the viewable area based on a size of the optical code in each frame image of the video.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a size of the viewable area is dynamically adjusted based on the size of the optical code in each frame image and a location of the optical code in each frame image.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a size of the viewable area is dynamically reduced or enlarged to fit the size of the optical code in the video, after an entirety of the optical code is detected in a current frame image of the video.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
turn off the viewable area on the display when no optical code is detected in a current frame image of the video.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the viewable area has a reduced size compared to a screen of the display; and an entire live view of the camera is adjusted to make the viewable area fit at least one of: the entire live view of the camera, a portion of the entire live view of the camera, or merely an entirety of the optical code in the entire live view of the camera.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
run a code scanning app which activates the camera for scanning a first optical code on an item, wherein:
the first optical code is a barcode or a quick-response (QR) code, and
the first optical code identifies a payment method, a user account, or other information related to the item in a retail or inventory management environment.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the viewable area is dynamically adjusted such that:
the viewable area has a brightness level lower than a predetermined threshold when a portion of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; as the portion of the optical code increases in a current frame image of the video, the brightness level of the viewable area gradually increases from a black brightness level to the predetermined threshold, and a size of the viewable area gradually increases to fit the portion of the optical code; and the brightness level of the viewable area reaches the predetermined threshold when an entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
place the viewable area at a top side of the display when the portion of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; decode the optical code in the viewable area before the entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; place the viewable area at a center of the display after the entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; and stop scanning the optical code after the entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to dynamically adjust a frame rate of the camera such that:
the frame rate of the camera is lower than a predetermined threshold when a portion of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; the frame rate of the camera gradually increases as more of the optical code is moved into a current frame image of the video than a previous frame image of the video; and the frame rate of the camera reaches predetermined threshold when an entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video.

10 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining a video captured by a camera; determining, based on a machine learning model, whether an optical code is included in any frame image of the video; presenting a viewable area on a display operatively coupled to the camera, once the video starts to include at least a portion of the optical code, wherein all pixels outside the viewable area on the display are dimmed, deactivated, or disabled; and dynamically adjusting the viewable area based on a size of the optical code in each frame image of the video.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
turning off the viewable area on the display when no optical code is detected in a current frame image of the video.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein:
a size of the viewable area is dynamically adjusted based on the size of the optical code in each frame image and a location of the optical code in each frame image; and the size of the viewable area is dynamically reduced or enlarged to fit the size of the optical code in the video, after an entirety of the optical code is detected in a current frame image of the video.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein:
the viewable area has a reduced size compared to a screen of the display; and an entire live view of the camera is adjusted to make the viewable area fit at least one of: the entire live view of the camera, a portion of the entire live view of the camera, or merely an entirety of the optical code in the entire live view of the camera.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
running a code scanning app which activates the camera for scanning a first optical code on an item, wherein:
the first optical code is a barcode or a quick-response (QR) code, and
the first optical code identifies a payment method, a user account, or other information related to the item in a retail or inventory management environment.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein the viewable area is dynamically adjusted such that:
the viewable area has a brightness level lower than a predetermined threshold when a portion of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; as the portion of the optical code increases in a current frame image of the video, the brightness level of the viewable area gradually increases from a black brightness level to the predetermined threshold, and a size of the viewable area gradually increases to fit the portion of the optical code; and the brightness level of the viewable area reaches the predetermined threshold when an entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising:
placing the viewable area at a top side of the display when the portion of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; decoding the optical code in the viewable area before the entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; placing the viewable area at a center of the display after the entirety of the optical code is included in a current frame image of the video; and stopping scanning the optical code after the entirety of the optical

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bersak Daniel Ryan

Classifications

• G06T3/40

  Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1417 Primary

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• G06K7/1443 Primary

  locating of the code in an image · CPC title