Retail Scanner Image Offloading for Price Sticker Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increased processing load on scanner devices due to the higher system requirements for recognizing price reduction stickers hinders the efficient recognition of code symbols, leading to slower or delayed basic product scanning operations.
Innovation Solution
A system architecture where scanner devices transmit image data to either a primary or secondary image processing device based on load thresholds, with the image processing devices handling the more complex recognition tasks, thereby reducing the load on the scanner devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the scanner device executes both code symbol recognition and price reduction sticker recognition, then the recognition capability is improved, but the processing load increases and response time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the recognition tasks by separating code symbol recognition (performed by the scanner device) from price reduction sticker recognition (performed by a separate image processing device). This division allows each device to specialize in specific tasks, improving overall system efficiency while maintaining versatile recognition capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
An image processing device is introduced as an intermediary between the scanner device and the sales transaction system. This intermediary handles the computationally intensive price reduction sticker recognition, freeing the scanner device to focus on rapid code symbol recognition and thereby improving response time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the scanner device executes price reduction sticker recognition, then the recognition function is enhanced, but the processing load increases and system performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The price reduction sticker recognition function is extracted from the scanner device and transferred to a dedicated image processing device. This extraction reduces the processing load on the scanner device, thereby maintaining or improving overall system performance while preserving the enhanced recognition function through the distributed architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single-device architecture to a multi-device distributed architecture, adding a spatial dimension to the system design. The image processing device handles complex recognition tasks in parallel with the scanner device's code recognition, improving overall system productivity through distributed processing.
3Measurement precision
If the scanner device handles complex recognition tasks, then the recognition accuracy is improved, but the device complexity and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing device serves as an intermediary that handles complex recognition tasks requiring high accuracy. By offloading these tasks to a specialized device with appropriate processing capabilities, the system achieves high recognition accuracy without increasing the complexity of the scanner device itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses image copying and data transmission between devices. The scanner device captures the image and transmits it to the image processing device for analysis, then receives the recognition results. This copying approach allows complex recognition to be performed externally while maintaining a simple scanner device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing device for a retail merchandise registration system includes a communication interface configured to connect to product scanners and processing requests and image data from the scanners. The processor compares a present device load value to a threshold and sends a positive response when the present device load is less than the threshold and a negative response when the present device load is equal to or greater than the threshold load. An image processing unit is configured to perform recognition processing on the image data from the scanner devices to detect an object depicted in the image data. The processor sends a recognition result to the scanner after the recognition processing has been performed by the image processing unit.