Computer vision product recognition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016148292-A1
Application number	US-201414553062-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for computer-aided visual recognition of products may be used by a customer operating a mobile computing device having a camera. A customer can direct the camera at a targeted product for which the customer desires to purchase or learn information. Image recognition operations can be carried out to compare the captured image against images from a prepopulated product image store of known products. Upon a positive match, information regarding the identified product may be gathered and transmitted to the customer and displayed on the mobile computing device. The customer may be presented with various options regarding the identified product, including adding the product to a shopping list, a to-do list, a wish list, or other types of lists.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method for identifying a product, comprising:
receiving, at a processing device of a product recognition server, one or more signals from a mobile computing device corresponding to one or more images of a targeted product; comparing, at the processing device, the one or more images of the targeted product to images of retail products, thereby resulting in a comparison score; determining, at the processing device, if the comparison score meets a minimum score threshold; if the comparison score meets the minimum score threshold, obtaining, from a product database, information associated with the targeted product; and transmitting, from the processing device, the information to the mobile computing device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a retail price of the targeted product.

3 . The method claim 1 , wherein the information comprises an availability status of the targeted product at a selected retail store.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the selected retail store comprises is selected based on physical proximity to the mobile computing device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing, at the processing device, the one or more images of the targeted product to images of retail products further comprises retrieving the images of retail products from a product image store.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing, at the processing device, the one or more images of the targeted product to images of retail products further comprises applying a feature detection algorithm to the one or more images of the targeted product.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein applying the feature detection algorithm to the one or more images of the targeted product comprises carrying out a Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF) feature detection algorithm.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing, at the processing device, the one or more images of the targeted product to images of retail products further comprises comparing multiple consecutively-captured images of the targeted product to images of retail products.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from the mobile computing device, a signal indicating an input to add the targeted product to a list; and transmitting an instruction to a customer database to add the targeted product to a list associated with an operator of the mobile computing device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the list comprises a shopping list.

11 . A method for identifying a product, comprising:
at a camera of a mobile computing device, capturing one or more images of a selected targeted product; at a processing device of the mobile computing device, carrying out a feature detection operation to the one or more images of the targeted product; transmitting at least one of the one or more images to a product recognition server based in part on a result of the feature detection operation; receiving, from the a product recognition server, information related to the selected targeted product; displaying the information on a display of the mobile computing device; and receiving an input to add the selected targeted product to a list.

12 . A computer-implemented system for identifying a product comprising:
a product recognition server comprising a memory device and a processing device, the memory device storing computer-readable instructions directing the processing device to:
receive one or more signals from a mobile computing device corresponding to one or more images of a targeted product;
compare the one or more images of the targeted product to images of retail products, thereby resulting in a comparison score;
determine if the comparison score meets a minimum score threshold;
if the comparison score meets the minimum score threshold, obtain, from a product database, information associated with the targeted product; and
transmit the information to the mobile computing device.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the information comprises a retail price of the targeted product.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the information comprises an availability status of the targeted product at a selected retail store.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the selected retail store comprises is selected based on physical proximity to the mobile computing device.

16 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a product image store.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further direct the processing device to retrieve the images of retail products from the product image store.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further direct the processing device to apply a feature detection algorithm to the one or more images of the targeted product.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further direct the processing device to compare multiple consecutively-captured images of the targeted product to images of retail products.

20 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a customer database, wherein the computer-readable instructions further direct the processing device to:
receive, from the mobile computing device, a signal indicating an input to add the targeted product to a list; and transmit an instruction to the customer database to add the targeted product to a list associated with an operator of the mobile computing device.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Gupta Ankit
• Shah Saurav
• Sowdaboina Venkata Pranay Kumar

Classifications

• G06Q30/0633

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G06Q30/0639

  Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility · CPC title

• G06Q30/0623 Primary

  by investigating goods or services · CPC title

• G06F16/5838

  using colour · CPC title

• G06F17/30256

  Physics · mapped topic