Methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media for camera-assisted package retrieval

Abstract

The application discloses a method, system, device and computer readable medium for assisting package collection by using a camera, the method comprising: obtaining feature identification information of a package based on the camera and storing the feature; a first user inputs a corresponding pick-up code based on the identified feature identification information of the package, and assigns the corresponding pick-up code to the corresponding package; the camera determines whether a second user picks up the package by identification; when the second user picks up the package, the camera broadcasts or displays the pick-up code corresponding to the package based on the pick-up action of the second user, so as to complete the pick-up operation. The system comprises a feature acquisition module, an information matching module, a judgment module and an output module. The application can automatically identify a package by using a camera and automatically provide a pick-up code, thereby greatly improving the convenience of pick-up.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of information technology, and specifically relates to methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media that utilize cameras to assist in package collection. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of e-commerce, more and more people are choosing to shop online, and online returns are commonplace. To improve return efficiency, e-commerce platforms currently use return codes. When a user returns an item, the platform assigns a default return code, such as code 1234 for package A, corresponding to a specific merchant address. This way, when the courier picks up the package, neither the courier nor the user needs to remember the product's details; they only need to match the return code. (Some courier companies also use a similar method when sending packages.) However, the following problems still exist. For example, when users are frequently not home, in order for the courier to pick up the returned goods, users generally use the following methods: Method 1, contacting the courier by phone, the courier describes the package characteristics, and the user provides the return code; Method 2, the user writes the pickup code on a sticky note in advance and sticks it on the package. However, both methods are time-consuming and laborious, especially when the user has multiple packages to return. Method 1 is even more troublesome, as both parties may not be able to contact each other in a timely manner, and the wrong items may be exchanged. Method 2 requires users to prepare pens and sticky notes / paper, not only aligning the writing with the items to avoid mixing them up, but also worrying about losing or mixing up the sticky notes. The current methods cause great inconvenience to both couriers and users during the return and exchange process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the shortcomings or deficiencies of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by this application is to provide a method, system, device and computer-readable medium for package collection using a camera, which can automatically identify packages and automatically provide a collection code, greatly improving the convenience of package collection.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution: This application proposes a method for using a camera to assist in package collection, including: The feature recognition information of the package is obtained based on the camera and the feature is stored. The first user, based on the identified package's feature information, inputs the corresponding pickup code and assigns the pickup code to the corresponding package. The camera identifies whether a second user is picking up the goods. When the second user picks up the package, based on the action of the second user picking up a package, the camera will announce or display the pickup code corresponding to the package to complete the pickup operation.

[0005] Further optionally, the camera includes: a camera configured on a doorbell or door lock, wherein the camera has a downward-facing function, which is at least used to monitor the doorway area where packages are placed.

[0006] Further optionally, the feature recognition information includes at least one of the following: shape features, color features, size features, sticker features, or pattern features.

[0007] Further optionally, the above-mentioned input of the corresponding pickup code also includes: the first user inputting the pickup code through the monitoring terminal corresponding to the camera, and assigning the corresponding pickup code to the corresponding package.

[0008] Further optionally, the above-mentioned input of the corresponding pickup code also includes: the camera acquiring the pickup code of a certain e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, and matching the pickup code with the feature identification information of the package.

[0009] Optionally, the process of the camera identifying whether a second user has picked up the goods includes: determining whether the second user has picked up the goods through uniform recognition, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc.

[0010] Further optionally, it also includes: when there are multiple packages to be picked up, the camera broadcasts or displays the pickup code of the corresponding package each time the second user picks up a package, until the pickup is completed.

[0011] This application also proposes a system for assisting in package collection using a camera, including: The feature acquisition module is used to acquire and store the feature recognition information of the package based on the camera. The information matching module is used to input the corresponding pickup code based on the feature identification information of the identified package, and to assign the corresponding pickup code to the corresponding package; The judgment module is used to identify whether a second user has picked up the goods. The output module, when the second user picks up the goods, is used to announce or display the pickup code of the corresponding package based on the second user's action of picking up a package, so as to complete the pickup operation.

[0012] This application also proposes a device for assisting in package collection using a camera, wherein the device includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the device is triggered to perform any of the methods described above.

[0013] This application also proposes a computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which can be executed by a processor to implement any of the methods described herein.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following technical effects: This application can rely on the intelligent recognition function of the camera to automatically complete the verification of package information and push the pickup code in real time, which greatly improves the convenience and overall efficiency of package pickup. At the same time, it can completely eliminate the cumbersome steps of telephone communication with couriers and manual paper and pen records during the pickup process, effectively avoiding problems such as chaotic information records and time-consuming communication, and helping users to complete the entire package pickup process quickly and smoothly. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This application includes a flowchart of a method for receiving packages using a camera as an aid, according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 Another embodiment of this application is a system block diagram of using a camera to assist in package collection. Detailed Implementation

[0016] In a typical configuration of this application, the terminal and the service network devices each include one or more processors (CPUs), input / output interfaces, network interfaces, and memory.

[0017] Memory may include non-persistent storage in computer-readable media, such as random access memory (RAM) and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM) or flash RAM. Memory is an example of computer-readable media.

[0018] Computer-readable media include permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media, which can store information by any method or technology. Information can be computer program instructions, data structures, program devices, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, read-only optical disc (CD-ROM), digital versatile optical disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transfer medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the method for receiving packages using a camera-assisted method includes: The feature recognition information of the package is obtained based on the camera and the feature is stored. The first user, based on the identified package's feature information, inputs the corresponding pickup code and assigns the pickup code to the corresponding package. The camera identifies whether a second user is picking up the goods. When the second user picks up the package, based on the action of the second user picking up a package, the camera will announce or display the pickup code corresponding to the package to complete the pickup operation.

[0020] In this embodiment, the intelligent recognition function of the camera can be used to automatically complete the verification of package information and push the pickup code in real time, which greatly improves the convenience and overall efficiency of package pickup. At the same time, it can completely eliminate the cumbersome steps of telephone communication with the courier and manual paper and pen records during the pickup process, effectively avoiding problems such as chaotic information records and time-consuming communication, and helping users to complete the entire package pickup process quickly and smoothly.

[0021] The first user mentioned above can be a user returning or exchanging goods, while the second user can be a courier picking up the package. The first and second users are merely illustrative examples and apply equally to other scenarios involving customer pickup or returns.

[0022] In this embodiment, the camera includes a camera configured on a doorbell or door lock, wherein the camera has a downward-facing function and is used at least to monitor the doorway area where packages are placed. The aforementioned smart camera can be used to scan or intelligently extract package information it captures, and accurately record and store it.

[0023] The first user pre-captures or stores the characteristic identification information of the package to be picked up, such as photos or videos, and matches the pickup code of the package to be returned or exchanged with the above-mentioned package information so that when the second user picks up the package later, the pickup code and the package can be matched one by one to avoid errors.

[0024] In this embodiment, the feature recognition information includes at least one of the following: shape features, color features, size features, and sticker or pattern features. The shape features include, but are not limited to, irregular polygons / circles / rectangles, etc.; the color features include, but are not limited to, common package outer packaging such as black / white / gray; the size features can be obtained based on the various dimensions of the package; or through sticker or pattern features on the outside of the package, such as the unique colors, patterns, or text features of the outer packaging of ZTO Express, SF Express, YTO Express, etc., including logos and other features.

[0025] The aforementioned camera uses feature recognition and encodes and stores the data according to the order in which the first user placed the packages. In this embodiment, using feature recognition memory has two advantages over directly storing photos: firstly, when there are multiple packages, they can be distinguished and are less likely to be mixed up; secondly, when packages are moved, they can be identified as the same package by their shape and color, and are less likely to be identified as different packages simply because someone moves the package or changes its angle.

[0026] Specifically, different packages have different feature identification information. For example, package A is square / red, while package B is round / gray. This is because although the camera captures a photo of a package, its position and angle may change as the first or second user moves. Therefore, it is necessary to retain feature information to ensure accurate identification of the package. By comparing at least one of the above feature identification information, the same package can be identified more accurately.

[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the input of the corresponding pickup code further includes: the first user inputting the pickup code through the monitoring terminal corresponding to the camera, and the corresponding pickup code being assigned to the corresponding package. Based on the pre-correspondence between the pickup code and the package, accurate identification is facilitated when the second user picks up the goods, avoiding errors.

[0028] Of course, in another example, the input of the corresponding pickup code mentioned above also includes: the camera acquiring the pickup code from a certain e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, and matching the pickup code with the package's feature identification information. Here, based on the integration between the camera or monitoring terminal app and the e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, the corresponding package information can be directly selected in the pickup code information section of the aforementioned return and exchange system. This eliminates the need for the first user to manually input the pickup code, making it more convenient.

[0029] The camera's method of identifying whether a second user is picking up the goods includes: using uniform recognition, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc. Specifically, for example, algorithms can be used in advance to identify the second user based on the color / clothing characteristics of the uniforms of different courier or logistics companies; or, if the second user is a fixed courier, facial recognition can be used to determine if the pickup is needed; of course, the pickup can also be completed through voice interaction between the second user and the camera.

[0030] Furthermore, when there are multiple packages to be picked up, the camera announces or displays the pickup code for each package picked up by the second user, until the pickup is completed. In this embodiment, it is preferable to pick up the packages one by one and announce or display the pickup code one by one to avoid errors. In this embodiment, the camera has a speaker to realize the announcement function; of course, a display screen can also be configured to display the pickup code on the camera.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, this application also proposes a system for package collection using a camera, including: The feature acquisition module is used to acquire and store the feature recognition information of the package based on the camera. The information matching module is used to input the corresponding pickup code based on the feature identification information of the identified package, and to assign the corresponding pickup code to the corresponding package; The judgment module is used to identify whether a second user has picked up the goods. The output module, when the second user picks up the goods, is used to announce or display the pickup code of the corresponding package based on the second user's action of picking up a package, so as to complete the pickup operation.

[0032] In this embodiment, the intelligent recognition function of the camera can be used to automatically complete the verification of package information and push the pickup code in real time, which greatly improves the convenience and overall efficiency of package pickup. At the same time, it can completely eliminate the cumbersome steps of telephone communication with the courier and manual paper and pen records during the pickup process, effectively avoiding problems such as chaotic information records and time-consuming communication, and helping users to complete the entire package pickup process quickly and smoothly.

[0033] The first user mentioned above can be a user returning or exchanging goods, while the second user can be a courier picking up the package. The first and second users are merely illustrative examples and apply equally to other scenarios involving customer pickup or returns.

[0034] In this embodiment, the camera includes a camera configured on a doorbell or door lock, wherein the camera has a downward-facing function and is used at least to monitor the doorway area where packages are placed. The aforementioned smart camera can be used to scan or intelligently extract package information it captures, and accurately record and store it.

[0035] The first user pre-captures or stores the characteristic identification information of the package to be picked up, such as photos or videos, and matches the pickup code of the package to be returned or exchanged with the above-mentioned package information so that when the second user picks up the package later, the pickup code and the package can be matched one by one to avoid errors.

[0036] In this embodiment, the feature recognition information includes at least one of the following: shape features, color features, size features, and sticker or pattern features. The shape features include, but are not limited to, irregular polygons / circles / rectangles, etc.; the color features include, but are not limited to, common package outer packaging such as black / white / gray; the size features can be obtained based on the various dimensions of the package; or through sticker or pattern features on the outside of the package, such as the unique colors, patterns, or text features of the outer packaging of ZTO Express, SF Express, YTO Express, etc., including logos and other features.

[0037] The aforementioned camera uses feature recognition and encodes and stores the data according to the order in which the first user placed the packages. In this embodiment, using feature recognition memory has two advantages over directly storing photos: firstly, when there are multiple packages, they can be distinguished and are less likely to be mixed up; secondly, when packages are moved, they can be identified as the same package by their shape and color, and are less likely to be identified as different packages simply because someone moves the package or changes its angle.

[0038] Specifically, different packages have different feature identification information. For example, package A is square / red, while package B is round / gray. This is because although the camera captures a photo of a package, its position and angle may change as the first or second user moves. Therefore, it is necessary to retain feature information to ensure accurate identification of the package. By comparing at least one of the above feature identification information, the same package can be identified more accurately.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the input of the corresponding pickup code further includes: the first user inputting the pickup code through the monitoring terminal corresponding to the camera, and the corresponding pickup code being assigned to the corresponding package. Based on the pre-correspondence between the pickup code and the package, accurate identification is facilitated when the second user picks up the goods, avoiding errors.

[0040] Of course, in another example, the input of the corresponding pickup code mentioned above also includes: the camera acquiring the pickup code from a certain e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, and matching the pickup code with the package's feature identification information. Here, based on the integration between the camera or monitoring terminal app and the e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, the corresponding package information can be directly selected in the pickup code information section of the aforementioned return and exchange system. This eliminates the need for the first user to manually input the pickup code, making it more convenient.

[0041] The camera's method of identifying whether a second user is picking up the goods includes: using uniform recognition, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc. Specifically, for example, algorithms can be used in advance to identify the second user based on the color / clothing characteristics of the uniforms of different courier or logistics companies; or, if the second user is a fixed courier, facial recognition can be used to determine if the pickup is needed; of course, the pickup can also be completed through voice interaction between the second user and the camera.

[0042] Furthermore, when there are multiple packages to be picked up, the camera announces or displays the pickup code for each package picked up by the second user, until the pickup is completed. In this embodiment, it is preferable to pick up the packages one by one and announce or display the pickup code one by one to avoid errors. In this embodiment, the camera has a speaker to realize the announcement function; of course, a display screen can also be configured to display the pickup code on the camera.

[0043] This application also proposes a device for assisting in package collection using a camera, wherein the device includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the device is triggered to perform any of the methods described above. The methods described above will not be elaborated further here.

[0044] This application also proposes a computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, which can be executed by a processor to implement any of the methods described herein. The methods mentioned above will not be elaborated further here.

[0045] Based on another aspect of this application, embodiments of this application also provide a device for receiving packages using a camera. The device includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the device is triggered to execute the aforementioned method for receiving packages using a camera.

[0046] In particular, the methods and / or embodiments in this application can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowchart. When the computer program is executed by a processing unit, it performs the functions defined in the methods of this application.

[0047] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium described in this application can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this application, a computer-readable medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0048] In this application, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. The computer-readable signal medium may also be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, capable of transmitting, propagating, or transmitting a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wireline, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0049] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0050] The flowcharts or block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-specific system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0051] In another aspect, this application also provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the device described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the device. The aforementioned computer-readable medium carries one or more computer program instructions, which may be executed by a processor to implement the methods and / or technical solutions of the various embodiments of this application.

[0052] It should be noted that this application can be implemented in software and / or a combination of software and hardware, for example, using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a general-purpose computer, or any other similar hardware device. In some embodiments, the software program of this application can be executed by a processor to implement the steps or functions described above. Similarly, the software program of this application (including related data structures) can be stored in a computer-readable recording medium, such as RAM memory, a magnetic or optical drive, a floppy disk, or similar devices. Furthermore, some steps or functions of this application can be implemented in hardware, for example, as circuitry that cooperates with a processor to perform the various steps or functions.

[0053] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this application can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this application. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this application is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced within this application. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Multiple units or devices recited in the apparatus claims may also be implemented by a single unit or device in software or hardware. The terms "first," "second," etc., are used to indicate names and do not indicate any particular order.

Claims

1. A method for receiving packages using a camera-assisted system, characterized in that, include: The feature recognition information of the package is obtained based on the camera and the feature is stored. The first user, based on the identified package's feature information, inputs the corresponding pickup code and assigns the pickup code to the corresponding package. The camera identifies whether a second user is picking up the goods. When the second user picks up the package, based on the action of the second user picking up a package, the camera will announce or display the pickup code corresponding to the package to complete the pickup operation.

2. The method for receiving packages using a camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The camera includes a camera configured on a doorbell or door lock, wherein the camera has a downward-facing function and is used at least to monitor the doorway area where a package is placed.

3. The method for receiving packages using a camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The feature recognition information includes at least one of the following: shape features, color features, size features, sticker features, or pattern features.

4. The method for receiving packages using a camera as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The above-mentioned input of the corresponding pickup code also includes: the first user inputs the pickup code through the monitoring terminal corresponding to the camera, and assigns the corresponding pickup code to the corresponding package.

5. The method for receiving packages using a camera as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The above-mentioned input of the corresponding pickup code also includes: the camera acquiring the pickup code of a certain e-commerce platform's return and exchange system, and matching the pickup code with the feature identification information of the package.

6. The method for receiving packages using a camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The process of the camera identifying whether a second user is picking up the goods includes: using uniform recognition, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc. to determine whether the second user is picking up the goods.

7. The method for receiving packages using a camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Also includes: When there are multiple packages to be picked up, the camera will announce or display the pickup code of the corresponding package each time the second user picks up a package, until the pickup is completed.

8. A system for receiving packages using a camera, characterized in that, include: The feature acquisition module is used to acquire and store the feature recognition information of the package based on the camera. The information matching module is used to input the corresponding pickup code based on the feature identification information of the identified package, and to assign the corresponding pickup code to the corresponding package; The judgment module is used to identify whether a second user has picked up the goods. The output module, when the second user picks up the goods, is used to announce or display the pickup code of the corresponding package based on the second user's action of picking up a package, so as to complete the pickup operation.

9. A device that uses a camera to assist in package collection, characterized in that, in, The device includes a memory for storing computer program instructions and a processor for executing the computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, the device is triggered to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that can be executed by a processor to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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