Item Recognition via Image Capture for Store Inventory Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional shopping methods at brick and mortar stores are inefficient, as customers face difficulties in locating items, accessing all available selections, and may encounter sold-out products, leading to a frustrating shopping experience.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for image processing and item recognition that allows users to capture images of items using their devices, which are then processed to identify and categorize products, providing a customized application for users to interact with and purchase items directly through a user interface, including inventory information and digital content augmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional brick and mortar store shopping is used, then customers can physically examine items, but customers spend excessive time locating items and cannot access all available selections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mobile device with camera and display as an intermediary tool between the customer and store items. The camera captures images of items, the processor identifies them against inventory data, and the display presents information - creating a mediator that bridges the physical store environment and digital information access, thereby reducing time to locate items while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manually browsing and searching for items with an automated optical and computational system. Instead of physically searching shelves, the customer uses the camera to capture item images, which are then automatically processed through image recognition and compared with inventory databases, substituting manual mechanical search with automated digital identification
2Loss of information
If traditional store browsing is used, then customers can see physical items, but customers cannot access sold-out items or items in back room storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the inventory system universal by connecting it to a comprehensive database that includes all store inventory across different locations and storage areas. The system can identify and provide information about any item in the entire inventory - whether on display, in back room storage, or at other store locations - making the system adaptable to any item query and providing universal access to complete inventory information
3Productivity
If manual item searching is used, then customers can find items, but the shopping process is inefficient and frustrating
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-processing and storing comprehensive inventory information in accessible databases before shopping occurs. When a customer points the camera at an item, the identification and information retrieval are already prepared and can be instantly matched, eliminating the need for manual searching and significantly improving shopping efficiency while reducing time spent
Data Source
AI summary
A system for identifying and providing user interface features based on a captured image wherein the system performs operations including capturing video frames, delineating an object within at least one of the video frames, determining identification information about the object; and augmenting the display of the object.