Shelf-viewing camera with multiple focus depths

A method comprising:

• moving a camera laterally alongside a shelf;
• continually cycling the camera through a plurality of pre-defined focus depths, including a first focus depth and a second focus depth, capturing product information at each of the plurality of pre-defined focus depths concurrently with moving the camera laterally alongside the shelf, including:
• transitioning the camera to the first focus depth;
• capturing a first shelf image at a first position during the camera movement and at the first focus depth within a first field-of-view;
• subsequent to capturing the first shelf image, transitioning the camera to a second focus depth;
• capturing a second shelf image at a second position and at the second focus depth with a second field-of-view;
• identifying a two-dimensional (2D) overlap region between the first field-of-view and the second field-of-view in a space;
• reading label content of a product label or decoding a barcode in the two-dimensional (2D) overlap region at the first focus depth;
• reading the label content of the product label or decoding the barcode in the two-dimensional (2D) overlap region at the second focus depth;
• and
• determining that the label content or the barcode is in better focus in the first shelf image relative to the second shelf image;
• and
• reporting the label content or the barcode from the first shelf image.

A system comprising:

• an autonomous robot including an attached camera system capable of capturing images at a first focus depth and at a second focus depth;
• a processor;
• and
• system memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions configured to cause the processor to:
• move the autonomous robot laterally alongside a shelf;
• continually cycle the camera through a plurality of pre-defined focus depths, including a first focus depth and a second focus depth, capturing product information at each of the plurality of pre-defined focus depths concurrently with moving the camera laterally alongside the shelf, including:
• transition the camera to the first focus depth;
• capture a first shelf image with the camera system at a first position during the autonomous robot movement and within a first field-of-view at the first focus depth;
• further move the autonomous robot laterally alongside the shelf;
• subsequent to capturing the first shelf image, transition the camera to the second focus depth during the further autonomous robot movement;
• capture a second shelf image with the camera system at a second position during the further autonomous robot movement and within a second field-of-view at the second focus depth;
• identify an overlap region between the first field-of-view and the second field-of-view;
• read label content of a product label or decoding a barcode in the overlap region at the first focus depth;
• read the label content of the product label or decoding the barcode in the overlap region at the second focus depth;
• and
• determine that the label content or the barcode is in better focus in the first shelf image relative to the second shelf image;
• and
• report the label content or the barcode from the first shelf image.