Visually identifying products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016162971-A1
Application number	US-201414560993-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

For visually indicating a product location, a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product are disclosed. The apparatus, in one embodiment, includes an image sensor, a product image module that identifies at least one product within image data, a product matching module that compares the identified at least one product to a user-specified product, and a location module that indicates, to the user, a location of a product matching the user-specified product. In some embodiments, the apparatus may also include a product selection module that receives, from the user, a user-selected product and at least one product constraint, wherein the product matching module further compares the identified at least one product to the at least one product constraint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
an image sensor; a product image module that identifies at least one product within image data; a product matching module that compares the identified at least one product to a user-specified product; and a location module that indicates, to the user, a location of a product matching the user-specified product.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a product selection module that receives, from the user, a user-selected product and at least one product constraint, wherein the product matching module further compares the identified at least one product to the at least one product constraint.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a purchase history module that suggests a suggested product based on the user's purchase history, wherein the location module further indicates a location of the suggested product.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an alternative product image module that suggests an alternative product based on the user-specified product, wherein the location module further indicates a location of the alternative product.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a price module that determines a price for each identified product, wherein the location module further indicates a price for the matching product.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a product information module that determines a plurality of product characteristics for the user-specified product and for each identified product, wherein the product matching module compares the product characteristics of the user-specified product to the product characteristics for each identified product.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display module that visually marks the matching product within the image data, wherein the location module causes the display module to visually indicate the location of the matching product.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a barcode module that identifies a barcode within image data, the barcode associated with a product within image data, wherein the product image module identifies the at least one product based on the barcode.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the product image module sends the image data to a remote computer for image analysis and receives, from the remote computer, a list of products identified within the image data.

10 . A method comprising:
receiving, by use of a processor, a product selection from a user; identifying a plurality of products within image data; and indicating, to the user, one or more products matching the product selection.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a price associated with each of the plurality of identified products, wherein indicating the one or more matching products includes indicating the price associated with each of the one or more products matching the product selection.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying at least one alternative product based on the product selection; determining whether the at least one alternative product is present within the image data; and suggesting the at least one alternative product to the user, in response to the at least one alternative product being present within the image data.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein identifying at least one alternative product based on the product selection comprises:
determining a plurality of ingredients for the product selection; determining a product class for the product selection; and identifying at least one alternative product having the same ingredients and the same product class as the product selection.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
identifying the user; obtaining a purchase history associated with the user; identifying one or more suggested products based on the purchase history; determining whether the one or more suggested products are present within the image data; and suggesting the one or more suggested products to the user, in response to the one or more suggested products being present within the image data.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving a product selection from a user comprise receiving a search constraint from the user, wherein indicating one or more products matching the product selection comprises comparing the identified plurality products to the search constraint.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein identifying a plurality of products from image data comprises:
transmitting the image data to a remote computer for image analysis; and receiving, from the remote computer, a list of products within the image data and a list of locations within the image data for each listed product, wherein indicating one or more products matching the product selection includes indicating locations for the one or more matching products.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein indicating one or more products matching the product selection comprises:
comparing the identified plurality products to the product selection; and visually marking the one or more products matching the product selection within the image data.

18 . A system comprising:
an image sensor; a display; a product selection module that receives a product selection from the user; a product image module that identifies a plurality of products within image data; a product matching module that determines at least one product matching the product selection from the identified plurality of products; and a location module that indicates, on the display, locations of the at least one matching product.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising an alternative product image module that suggests at least one alternative product based on the product selection, wherein the location module further displays a location of the at least one alternative product.

20 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising a purchase history module that suggests at least one suggested product based on the user's purchase history, wherein the location module further displays a location of the at least one alternative product.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Peterson Nathan J
• Mese John Carl
• Vanblon Russell Speight
• Waltermann Rod D
• Weksler Arnold S

Classifications

• G06Q30/0639

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

• G06Q30/0627 Primary

  by specifying product or service characteristics, e.g. product dimensions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0643

  graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title