Imaging Checkout Terminal Visual Identifier Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
At checkout terminals, it is challenging to accurately identify and differentiate between visually similar items with different prices, such as organic and conventionally-grown bananas, leading to potential incorrect pricing and financial losses for the store.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where a checkout terminal uses imaging devices to detect visual identifiers, such as stickers or tape, attached to items to ensure correct pricing by generating an alert if a higher-priced item is not selected, allowing staff to correct the entry and prevent mischarging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual identification of items is used at checkout terminal, then pricing accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases due to imaging devices and image processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from complex image analysis to a simple visual marker detection system. Instead of analyzing the entire item appearance, the system only detects the presence or absence of specific visual markers (stickers, tags, or printed indicators), simplifying the imaging and processing requirements while maintaining pricing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual markers as intermediary elements between the item and the identification system. These markers serve as mediators that carry pricing information in a easily detectable format, allowing the checkout terminal to identify item types without complex image recognition of the items themselves.
2Measurement precision
If image processing is used to distinguish visually similar items, then identification accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical identification feature from complex visual analysis to a simple marker presence/absence detection. By focusing only on detecting whether a visual marker is present rather than analyzing the entire item image, the system achieves high identification accuracy with minimal processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by detecting only the essential visual marker rather than performing complete image analysis. This selective detection approach provides sufficient identification accuracy for pricing purposes without the time cost of comprehensive image processing.
3Ease of operation
If visual markers are used to identify items, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to additional tagging requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the visual markers serve multiple functions: they provide pricing identification, indicate item categories, and enable automated detection. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of markers during manufacturing, as they replace more complex identification systems and simplify checkout operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A store can stock items that have the same appearance but have different prices. For instance, organic bananas can look like conventional bananas, but can be priced higher than conventional bananas. In some examples, a higher-priced item can be tagged with an identifier, which can include a visual cue that indicates, to the naked eye, that the item is higher-priced. For instance, organic bananas can include tape that visually indicates that the bananas are organic. In some examples, the problem of a person purchasing a higher-priced item at an imaging checkout terminal, but selecting a price of a corresponding lower-priced but visually similar item, can be overcome by capturing an image of the purchased item, determining from the image that an identifier is attached to the item, determining that a lower-priced item is selected at the terminal, and producing an alert for an attendant.