Digital Watermark Product Identification via Optical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current supermarket checkout systems face challenges in efficiently identifying products, particularly with less common items, due to difficulties in locating and positioning barcodes, and issues with reading barcodes on irregular or opaque items, which leads to increased costs and shopper inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a system that uses digital watermarks integrated into product packaging, combined with various recognition technologies and imaging techniques, such as structure-from-motion and plenoptic cameras, to identify products from multiple angles and orientations, and provides guidance for packing items based on shape, weight, and temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If barcode-based identification is used, then product identification can be achieved, but difficulty in locating and positioning barcodes increases checkout time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service checkout by automatically identifying products through imaging technology and digital watermark recognition, eliminating the need for manual barcode scanning. The checkout system autonomously detects products on the conveyor belt and processes identification without requiring shopper intervention to locate or position barcodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical barcode scanning with automated optical imaging and digital watermark recognition. Instead of requiring physical manipulation of products to present barcodes to scanners, the system uses cameras to capture images and automatically processes product identification through image analysis and watermark detection algorithms.
2Measurement precision
If manual barcode scanning is used, then product identification is possible, but difficulty with irregular or opaque items increases errors and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system provides universal product identification capability that works across diverse product types including opaque, irregularly shaped, and malleable items. The digital watermark technology can be embedded in various packaging materials and forms, enabling reliable identification regardless of product shape, transparency, or surface characteristics that would prevent traditional barcode scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces digital watermarks as an intermediary identification layer embedded within product packaging. These watermarks serve as a reliable mediator between the product and identification system, providing consistent identification signals that are not affected by product opacity, surface irregularities, or shape variations that would interfere with direct barcode scanning.
3Productivity
If RFID tags are used for product identification, then identification speed can be improved, but cost increases and radio-opaque materials prevent reading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs digital watermarks embedded in packaging as a cost-effective alternative to expensive RFID tags. The watermarking technology uses existing packaging materials and printing processes, eliminating the need for additional electronic components. This approach maintains identification speed while significantly reducing per-unit costs and avoiding the complexity of radio frequency infrastructure.
4Measurement precision
If barcodes are used, then product identification can occur, but difficulty in reading barcodes on crinkled or irregular surfaces increases errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image capture and processing to detect and correct for surface irregularities before final identification. The imaging system captures images of products as they move along the conveyor, and software algorithms pre-process these images to compensate for crinkling, warping, or irregular positioning, ensuring accurate watermark recognition without requiring manual product adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
In some arrangements, product packaging is digitally watermarked over most of its extent to facilitate high-throughput item identification at retail checkouts. Imagery captured by conventional or plenoptic cameras can be processed (e.g., by GPUs) to derive several different perspective-transformed views—further minimizing the need to manually reposition items for identification. Crinkles and other deformations in product packaging can be optically sensed, allowing such surfaces to be virtually flattened to aid identification. Piles of items can be 3D-modelled and virtually segmented into geometric primitives to aid identification, and to discover locations of obscured items. Other data (e.g., including data from sensors in aisles, shelves and carts, and gaze tracking for clues about visual saliency) can be used in assessing identification hypotheses about an item. Logos may be identified and used—or ignored—in product identification. A great variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed.