US 11,600,019 B2Granted

Image-based inventory estimation

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsIgor S. Ramos, Angelo Danducci, II, Devon E. Mensching, Kimberly J. Taft

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Abstract

In an approach to estimating product inventory count, one or more computer processors receive one or more images of one or more products residing on a product storage location from an image capturing device. Based on the received images, one or more computer processors determine a count of the one or more products. One or more computer processors determine a confidence in the count of the one or more products. In response to determining the confidence is below a threshold, one or more computer processors calculate a recommended position of the image capturing device to produce an improved image of the one or more products. One or more computer processors transmit instructions to the image capturing device to move to the recommended position. One or more computer processors determine whether the image capturing device is in the recommended position.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computer processors, one or more images of one or more products residing on a product storage location from an image capturing device;
based on the received one or more images, determining, by one or more computer processors, a count of the one or more products;
determining, by one or more computer processors, a confidence value in the count of the one or more products in the one or more images;
responsive to determining the confidence value in the count of the one or more products is below a threshold, calculating, by one or more computer processors, a recommended position of the image capturing device to produce an improved image of the one or more products;
transmitting, by one or more computer processors, instructions to the image capturing device to move to the recommended position;
determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the image capturing device is in the recommended position;
receiving, by one or more computer processors, the improved image taken by the image capturing device in the recommended position;
based on the image capturing device being in the recommended position, determining, by one or more computer processors, the confidence value in the count of the one or more products meets the threshold;
estimating, by one or more computer processors, an inventory quantity of the one or more products based on the improved image;
determining, by one or more computer processors, the inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold;
and
responsive to determining the estimated inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold, automatically sending, by one or more computer processors, an order for the one or more products.

9 more elements

A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive one or more images of one or more products residing on a product storage location from an image capturing device;
based on the received one or more images, program instructions to determine a count of the one or more products;
program instructions to determine a confidence value in the count of the one or more products in the one or more images;
responsive to determining the confidence value in the count of the one or more products is below a threshold, program instructions to calculate a recommended position of the image capturing device to produce an improved image of the one or more products;
program instructions to transmit instructions to the image capturing device to move to the recommended position;
program instructions to determine whether the image capturing device is in the recommended position;
program instructions to receive the improved image taken by the image capturing device in the recommended position;
based on the image capturing device being in the recommended position, program instructions to determine the confidence value in the count of the one or more products meets the threshold;
program instructions to estimate an inventory quantity of the one or more products based on the improved image;
program instructions to determine the inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold;
and
responsive to determining the estimated inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold, program instructions to automatically send an order for the one or more products.

10 more elements

A computer system, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage media;
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive one or more images of one or more products residing on a product storage location from an image capturing device;
based on the received one or more images, program instructions to determine a count of the one or more products;
program instructions to determine a confidence value in the count of the one or more products in the one or more images;
responsive to determining the confidence value in the count of the one or more products is below a threshold, program instructions to calculate a recommended position of the image capturing device to produce an improved image of the one or more products;
program instructions to transmit instructions to the image capturing device to move to the recommended position;
program instructions to determine the image capturing device is in the recommended position;
program instructions to receive the improved image taken by the image capturing device in the recommended position;
based on the image capturing device being in the recommended position, program instructions to determine the confidence value in the count of the one or more products meets the threshold;
program instructions to estimate an inventory quantity of the one or more products based on the improved image;
program instructions to determine the inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold;
and
responsive to determining the estimated inventory quantity is below a pre-defined threshold, program instructions to automatically send an order for the one or more products.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.