Image processing methods and arrangements useful in automated store shelf inspections

A method of checking inventory in a retail store, the store including products stocked on shelves positioned adjacent an aisle, the method including the acts:

• producing shelf imagery using a robot that navigates along said aisle of said retail store, the robot being equipped with an imaging system comprising one or more cameras and at least one illumination source;
• processing a low-resolution counterpart to said shelf imagery to sense presence of machine-readable information at a particular location within the shelf imagery;
• based on said particular location, identifying a region of interest containing the machine-readable information;
• and
• analyzing a high-resolution counterpart to said region of interest, depicted in said shelf imagery, to decode an identifier from said machine-readable information;
• wherein processing of the shelf imagery is reduced due to analysis of said region of interest, rather than all said shelf imagery, to decode said identifier;
• and
• the machine-readable information is sensed from an electronic shelf label.

A method of checking inventory in a retail store, the store including products stocked on shelves positioned adjacent an aisle, the method including the acts:

• producing shelf imagery using a robot that navigates along said aisle of said retail store, the robot being equipped with an imaging system comprising one or more cameras and at least one illumination source;
• processing a low-resolution counterpart to said shelf imagery to sense presence of machine-readable information at a particular location within the shelf imagery;
• based on said particular location, identifying a region of interest containing the machine-readable information;
• and
• analyzing a high-resolution counterpart to said region of interest, depicted in said shelf imagery, to decode an identifier from said machine-readable information;
• wherein processing of the shelf imagery is reduced due to analysis of said region of interest, rather than all said shelf imagery, to decode said identifier;
• the method further including varying illumination emitted by said illumination source as the robot navigates along the aisle.

A method of checking inventory in a retail store, the store including products stocked on shelves positioned adjacent an aisle, the method including the acts:

• producing shelf imagery using a robot that navigates along said aisle of said retail store, the robot being equipped with an imaging system comprising one or more cameras and at least one illumination source;
• processing a low-resolution counterpart to said shelf imagery to sense presence of machine-readable information at a particular location within the shelf imagery;
• based on said particular location, identifying a region of interest containing the machine-readable information;
• and
• analyzing a high-resolution counterpart to said region of interest, depicted in said shelf imagery, to decode an identifier from said machine-readable information;
• wherein processing of the shelf imagery is reduced due to analysis of said region of interest, rather than all said shelf imagery, to decode said identifier;
• the method further including varying a spectrum of illumination emitted by said illumination source as the robot navigates along the aisle.

A method of checking inventory in a retail store, the store including products stocked on shelves positioned adjacent an aisle, the method including the acts:

• producing shelf imagery using a robot that navigates along said aisle of said retail store, the robot being equipped with an imaging system comprising one or more cameras and at least one illumination source;
• processing a low-resolution counterpart to said shelf imagery to sense presence of machine-readable information at a particular location within the shelf imagery;
• based on said particular location, identifying a region of interest containing the machine-readable information;
• and
• analyzing a high-resolution counterpart to said region of interest, depicted in said shelf imagery, to decode an identifier from said machine-readable information;
• wherein processing of the shelf imagery is reduced due to analysis of said region of interest, rather than all said shelf imagery, to decode said identifier;
• and
• said decoded identifier indicates a first product that should be stocked in an adjoining product region, the method further including:
• consulting a data structure to determine a width of said product region for the indicated first product;
• by reference to information including a position of the detected shelf label in the shelf imagery, and said determined width of the product region, identifying an excerpt of the shelf imagery within which the first product should be depicted;
• and
• identifying one or more instances of product items depicted within said identified excerpt.