A portable checkout unit automatically generates training data for an automatic checkout system as a customer collects items in a store. A customer uses an item scanner of portable checkout unit to generate a virtual shopping list of items collected in the shopping cart. When the customer adds a new item to the shopping cart or on some regular interval, the portable checkout unit captures images of the items contained by the shopping cart and can generate bounding boxes for each product in each image. The bounding boxes can be associated with item identifiers from previously-generated bounding boxes to identify the items captured by the bounding boxes. Each bounding box paired with an item identifier can then be used as training data for an automated checkout system.

The embodiments herein relate to surveillance of objects and, more particularly, to efficient detection and tracking of objects. A method disclosed herein includes detecting at least one object in the physical store, on receiving media from a plurality of media acquisition devices positioned in the physical store. The method further includes tracking the at least one object in the physical store by projecting input data points of each media acquisition device onto a groundplot, clustering the input data points into a single cluster, and assigning a tracking identifier (ID) to a centroid of the single cluster, wherein the centroid depicts the at least one object.

Disclosed in the present specification is a self-checkout device to which hybrid product recognition technology is applied and which helps a user to more conveniently and quickly make a payment. The self-checkout device according to the present specification photographs a product with a plurality of cameras, and then recognizes a barcode by detecting a barcode region from the captured images and, simultaneously, extracts a feature point of the images such that a product can be recognized through the calculation of the proportion that matches with a reference image of the product. Thus, a product can be quickly recognized through barcode recognition and packaging paper recognition in a product image.

The present disclosure provides for radio frequency identification in self-checkout via a first product pathway; a single Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) antenna, having a first scanning zone aligned with the first product pathway; wherein the first product pathway is configured to: position a first set of objects within the first scanning zone at a first position relative to the single RFID antenna at a first time; and position the first set of object within the first scanning zone at a second position relative to the single RFID, different than the first position, at a second time; and wherein the single RFID antenna is configured to: receive, at the first time, a first set of identifier signals associated with at least some of the first set of objects; and receive, at the second time, a second set of identifier signals associated with at least some of the first set of objects.

A portable checkout unit automatically generates training data for an automatic checkout system as a customer collects items in a store. A customer uses an item scanner of portable checkout unit to generate a virtual shopping list of items collected in the shopping cart. When the customer adds a new item to the shopping cart or on some regular interval, the portable checkout unit captures images of the items contained by the shopping cart and can generate bounding boxes for each product in each image. The bounding boxes can be associated with item identifiers from previously-generated bounding boxes to identify the items captured by the bounding boxes. Each bounding box paired with an item identifier can then be used as training data for an automated checkout system.

According to one embodiment, a reading apparatus includes a shielding body, an antenna, and a reader and writer. The shielding body is formed in a box shape with an upper opening, to place an accommodating body and to shield radio waves. The antenna is provided in the shielding body to receive information from an RFID tag attached to a product that is passing through the opening. The reader and writer is connected to the antenna to read information of the product from the information received by the antenna.

This disclosure is directed to item-identifying carts that may be utilized by users to automatically identify items that the users place in their carts. In addition, these carts may automatically determine the outcome of respective events that occur with respect to these identified items. For example, the carts may be configured to identify one or more items that are placed into or removed from the cart, and thereafter determine one or more actions taken with respect to the identified items and a quantity of the items involved. For example, after identifying a first item and a second item either placed into or removed from the cart, the cart may determine that the user added two instances of the first item and removed one instance of the second item. In response to making this determination, the cart may update a virtual cart of a user operating the physical cart.

This disclosure is directed to item-identifying carts that may be utilized by users to automatically identify items that the users place in their carts. In addition, these carts may automatically determine the outcome of respective events that occur with respect to these identified items. For example, the carts may be configured to identify one or more items that are placed into or removed from the cart, and thereafter determine one or more actions taken with respect to the identified items and a quantity of the items involved. For example, after identifying a first item and a second item either placed into or removed from the cart, the cart may determine that the user added two instances of the first item and removed one instance of the second item. In response to making this determination, the cart may update a virtual cart of a user operating the physical cart.

According to one embodiment, a reading device is configured to read information from an RFID tag attached to a product. The reading device includes a housing, an antenna, an opening-and-closing lid, a detector, a reading unit, and an alert unit. The housing includes an opening portion, and therein a space for accommodating the product. The antenna is provided within the space. The opening-and-closing lid is opening and closing the opening portion. The detector is configured to detect an open or closed state of the opening-and-closing lid. The reading unit is configured to read the information from the RFID tag. The alert unit is configured to issue an alert on an operation method in accordance with the open or closed state of the opening-and-closing lid and an operation state of the reading unit.

According to one embodiment, a reading apparatus includes a shielding body, an antenna, and a reader and writer. The shielding body is formed in a box shape with an upper opening, to place an accommodating body and to shield radio waves. The antenna is provided in the shielding body to receive information from an RFID tag attached to a product that is passing through the opening. The reader and writer is connected to the antenna to read information of the product from the information received by the antenna.