Video-Based Scanning Action Checks for Accurate Product Registration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product registration systems are prone to inaccurate detection of scanning actions due to potential errors from sensors, leading to incorrect registration of products.
Innovation Solution
A registration checking apparatus that analyzes video footage to detect scanning actions and compares the number of detected scanning actions with the number of registered products, performing output processing when the predetermined condition of equal or greater registered products is not met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a sensor composed of light emitter and light receiver is used to detect product passage, then product registration can be performed, but omitted detection and erroneous detection occur leading to inaccurate registration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical sensor detection system with a video analysis system. Instead of using light emitters and receivers to detect product passage, the system uses a camera to capture video images and analyzes these images to detect scanning actions. This substitution eliminates the erroneous detection issues inherent in optical sensors while maintaining the ability to register products efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy/recording of the scanning action through video capture. By capturing the hand's movement and the product's passage in video form, the system can later analyze this visual copy to determine whether a valid scanning action occurred, thereby improving detection accuracy without interfering with the actual scanning process.
2Extent of automation
If optical sensors are used to detect scanning actions, then product registration can be automated, but false detection of non-product objects (like user hands) occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical detection system with a video-based detection system. The video analysis approach allows the system to distinguish between actual product scanning actions and spurious movements (such as a user's hand passing in front of the sensor) by analyzing the contextual information present in video frames, thereby improving reliability while maintaining automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces video analysis as an intermediary between the physical scanning action and the registration process. Instead of directly detecting product passage with optical sensors, the system captures video of the scanning action and uses this intermediate visual data to make more reliable determinations about whether a valid product registration occurred.
3Measurement precision
If video analysis is used to detect scanning actions, then detection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the camera serve multiple functions: it captures video for detecting scanning actions, provides visual record for verification, and can potentially be used for other surveillance or verification purposes. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing multiple benefits from a single component addition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses video as a visual copy of the scanning action that can be analyzed and stored. This copying approach, while adding system complexity, provides a comprehensive record that can be reviewed and verified, offering benefits in terms of accuracy and accountability that outweigh the increased complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A registration checking apparatus (2000) determines, for a target transaction, whether a relation between the number of times scanning actions are performed and the number of products registered as checkout targets satisfies a predetermined condition. The scanning action is detected by analyzing a video (12). The registration checking apparatus (2000) performs predetermined output processing when the relation does not satisfy the predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is a condition being satisfied when the number of registered products is equal to or greater than the number of detected scanning actions.