Information processing apparatus, information processing system, control method, and program
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for ensuring accurate product display on shelves are labor-intensive and prone to human error, as they rely on visual checks by workers to verify compliance with display prescriptions.
Innovation Solution
An information processing system that captures images of product shelves, performs image analysis to generate actual display information, and compares it with reference display information to produce comparison results, allowing for automated verification of product placement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual check by worker is performed to verify product display compliance, then display accuracy can be confirmed, but work load of worker becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual inspection method performed by workers with an automated image processing system. The system captures images of product shelves using imaging devices, processes these images to identify product display status, and automatically verifies compliance with reference information, thereby eliminating the need for manual visual checks and reducing worker workload while maintaining verification accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-verification of product display compliance through automated image capture and processing. The imaging devices and processing units work autonomously to detect product positions, identify displayed items, and compare them against reference information without requiring human intervention, allowing the system to verify its own performance accurately.
2Measurement precision
If visual check by worker is performed to verify product display compliance, then display correctness can be confirmed, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the time-consuming manual visual inspection process with an automated image processing system that rapidly captures shelf images, processes them to identify product display status, and generates verification results. This automated approach dramatically reduces the time required for verification while maintaining high accuracy in determining whether products are correctly displayed according to prescriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous verification of product display compliance through automated image capture and processing. Multiple imaging devices can simultaneously capture images of different shelves, and the processing units continuously analyze these images to verify compliance, eliminating the intermittent and time-consuming nature of manual visual checks by workers.
3Productivity
If automated image processing is implemented to verify product display, then worker workload is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the automated verification system into distinct functional modules: imaging devices for capturing shelf images, processing units for analyzing the images and identifying product display status, and comparison units for verifying compliance with reference information. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall system architecture and making it easier to implement and maintain while achieving high verification efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs imaging devices and processing units that can handle multiple tasks: capturing images of different shelves, identifying various product types, verifying compliance with different reference information, and generating verification results. This multi-functionality reduces the need for specialized equipment for each task, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity in product display verification.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus (2000) acquires a shelf rack image (12) in which a product shelf rack on which a product is displayed is imaged. The information processing apparatus (2000) performs image analysis on the shelf rack image (12), and generates information (actual display information) relevant to a display situation of the product on a product shelf rack (20). The information processing apparatus (2000) acquires reference display information representing a reference for display of the product on the product shelf rack (20). The information processing apparatus (2000) compares the actual display information generated by performing the image analysis on the shelf rack image (12) with the acquired reference display information, and generates comparison information representing a result.