Image-based inventory control system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015201166-A1
Application number	US-201514668793-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2008
Publication date	Jul 16, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining an inventory condition of objects based on captured images are described. An exemplary inventory control system or method utilizes a highly efficient and economical approach to apply suitable imaging parameters for capturing images of a storage drawer being accessed by a user, or for manipulating the captured images of the drawer. An inventory condition of the drawer is determined based on the captured images or manipulated images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising:
a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; an image sensing device comprising a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of the storage compartments; a data storage device storing imaging parameters corresponding to each storage compartment, the stored imaging parameters comprising known reference data identifying regions of each storage compartment within a field of view of each of the plurality of cameras; and a data processor configured to:
identify a storage compartment,
access the imaging parameters corresponding to the identified storage compartment and including the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras,
capture images of the identified storage compartment using the plurality of cameras,
determine relative positional relationships between the images captured by each camera of the plurality of cameras using the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras and stitch together the images captured by the plurality of cameras based on the determined relative positional relationships between the images, and
determine an inventory condition of the objects stored in the identified storage compartment according to the-stitched together image.

2 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments is a plurality of storage drawers each including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

3 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments is a plurality of shelves each including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

4 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the data processor identifies the storage compartment by detecting an identifier unique to the storage compartment or detecting a state of a signal generated by a sensor associated with the storage compartment.

5 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the known reference data further include settings used in capturing the images or processing the images after they are captured.

6 . The inventory control system of claim 1 , wherein the inventory control system is configured to determine which of the plurality of cameras to use in capturing the images of the identified storage compartment based on the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras.

7 . The inventory control system of claim 6 , wherein the inventory control system is further configured to turn off one of the plurality of cameras in response to determining that a region of the identified storage compartment is redundantly imaged by another of the plurality of cameras.

8 . An imaging control method for use in a tool storage system including a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects; an image sensing device comprising a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of the storage compartments; a data storage device storing imaging parameters corresponding to each storage compartment, the stored imaging parameters comprising known reference data identifying regions of each storage compartment within a field of view of each of the plurality of cameras; and a data processor, the method comprising:
identifying a storage compartment; accessing the imaging parameters corresponding to the identified storage compartment and including the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras; capturing images of the identified storage compartment using the plurality of cameras; determining relative positional relationships between the images captured by each camera of the plurality of cameras using the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras and stitching together the images captured by the plurality of cameras based on the determined relative positional relationships between the images; and determining an inventory condition of the objects stored in the identified storage compartment according to the stitched together image.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments is a plurality of storage drawers each including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of storage compartments is a plurality of shelves each including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the data processor identifies the storage compartment by detecting an identifier unique to the storage compartment or detecting a state of a signal generated by a sensor associated with the storage compartment.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the known reference data further include settings used in capturing the images or processing the images after they are captured.

13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining which of the plurality of cameras to use in capturing the images of the identified storage compartment based on the known reference data identifying regions of the identified storage compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
turning off one of the plurality of cameras in response to determining that a region of the identified storage compartment is redundantly imaged by another of the plurality of cameras.

15 . An inventory control system for determining an inventory condition of objects stored in the system, the system comprising:
storage means, including a plurality of compartments, for storing objects; imaging means comprising a plurality of cameras for capturing images of the storage means; data storage means for storing imaging parameters corresponding to each storage means, the stored imaging parameters comprising known reference data identifying regions of each compartment within a field of view of each of the plurality of cameras; and data processing means for:
identifying a compartment,
accessing the imaging parameters corresponding to the identified compartment and including the known reference data identifying regions of the identified compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras,
capturing images of the identified compartment using the plurality of cameras,
determining relative positional relationships between the images captured by each camera of the plurality of cameras using the known reference data identifying regions of the identified compartment within the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras and stitching together the images captured by the plurality of cameras based on the determined relative positional relationships between the images, and
determining an inventory condition of the objects stored in the identified compartment according to the stitched together image.

16 . The inventory control system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of compartments is a plurality of drawers each including a plurality of storage locations for storing objects.

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Glickman Stephen L
• Jackson David A
• Lipsey Matthew J
• Phillips Preston
• Fly David C
• Weeks Jason L

Classifications

• G06F18/00

  Pattern recognition · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

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

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• G06Q10/00

  Administration; Management · CPC title

• G06T7/00

  Image analysis · CPC title