Produce Weigh Station Camera Image Recognition Ripeness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retail stores face challenges in efficiently monitoring the freshness and cost of produce, as employees spend time visually inspecting produce for ripeness and calculating weights manually, especially with the trend towards self-checkout and electronic scanning, where produce lacks easily-scannable barcodes.
Innovation Solution
A produce weigh station equipped with a scale and camera that captures digital images of produce, determines its type and status (ripe, over-ripe, etc.), and communicates this information to a mobile device or status station, allowing employees to monitor produce remotely and enabling electronic weight and cost transfer to customer devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If employees visually inspect produce manually, then produce status can be determined, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual inspection process with an automated image recognition system. The camera captures images of produce, and the image recognition module processes these images to automatically determine produce type, weight, and status (ripe, over-ripe, under-ripe), eliminating the need for manual visual inspection by employees.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing customers to use the weighing station independently. The automated system performs produce identification, weighing, and status determination without requiring employee intervention, while customers can simply place produce on the scale and receive instant information display.
2Measurement precision
If manual weighing and cost calculation is performed, then produce cost can be determined, but operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual weighing and cost calculation with an automated electronic system. The scale electronically measures produce weight, the image recognition module identifies produce type and determines cost based on pre-programmed pricing, and the system automatically calculates total cost, eliminating manual computation and improving checkout speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate feedback to customers by displaying the determined weight, produce type, and calculated cost on a display device right after placement on the scale. This instant feedback eliminates waiting time and allows customers to proceed to checkout without delay.
3Measurement precision
If produce is weighed at traditional scales, then weight can be measured, but electronic transfer to mobile device is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated weighing station system. The camera, scale, image recognition module, cost calculation module, and mobile device communication are combined into one unified system that automatically performs weighing, identification, cost determination, and electronic transfer in a single workflow, simplifying the process for users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a mobile computing device as an intermediary between the weighing station and the customer's shopping cart. The weighing station communicates weight and cost data to the mobile device, which then integrates this information into the electronic shopping cart, simplifying the data transfer process and eliminating manual entry requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for communicating the status of a produce product in a retail store is described. The system includes a produce weigh station and a produce status station. The produce weigh station includes a produce scale and a camera. The produce weigh station uses a captured digital image of the produce product to determine a product type of the produce product being weighed, as well as a product status of the produce product. The produce status can include, for example, whether the produce product is ripe, over-ripe, or under-ripe. The produce weigh station communicates the type of the produce product, the digital image, and the produce status to the produce status station. An employee of the retail store can use the produce status station to receive the produce status information without the employee having to be present in the produce sales department.