# US 12,008,874 B2 · Apparatus for securing camera to a retail shelving unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,008,874 B2 - Document ID: US12008874B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/464,888 - Filed: 2021-09-02 - Published: 2021-12-23 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-06 - Assignees: Trax Technology Solutions Pte Ltd. - Applicants: Trax Technology Solutions Pte Ltd. - Inventors: Yair Adato; Itai Lishner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12008874B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/00: Commerce - G06Q 30/0639: {Locating goods or services, e.g. based on physical position of the goods or services within a shopping facility} - G06F 18/21: Design or setup of recognition systems or techniques; Extraction of features in feature space; Blind source separation - G06N 20/00: Machine learning - G06Q 10/06312: {Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling} - G06Q 10/06315: {Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis} - G06Q 10/06375: {Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change} - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/08724: {by shelf level inventory management, e.g. planograms} - G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring} - G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing} - G06Q 30/0201: Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data - G06Q 30/0207: Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates - G06Q 30/0223: {based on inventory} - G06Q 30/0242: Determining effectiveness of advertisements - G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location} - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - G06Q 30/0643: {graphically representing goods, e.g. 3D product representation} - G06T 7/0006: {using a design-rule based approach} - G06T 7/001: {using an image reference approach} - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - G06V 10/751: {Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching} - G06V 20/00: Scenes; Scene-specific elements (control of digital cameras H04N23/60) - G06V 20/13: Satellite images - G06V 20/20: in augmented reality scenes - G06V 20/52: Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects (recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69) - G08B 13/19632: {Camera support structures, e.g. attachment means, poles} - G08B 13/19641: {Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene} - H02J 7/44: between battery management systems and power sources - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - H02J 9/06: with automatic change-over {, e.g. UPS systems} - H04N 7/18: Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - H04N 23/51: Housings - H04N 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/65: Control of camera operation in relation to power supply - G06T 2207/10016: Video; Image sequence - G06T 2207/30232: Surveillance - G06V 30/10: Character recognition - G06V 2201/07: Target detection - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An apparatus for securing a camera to a retail shelving unit is disclosed. The apparatus may have a pair of opposing securing surfaces for securing the apparatus to a support element of the retail shelving unit. The pair of opposing securing surfaces may form a gap between the pair of opposing securing surfaces. The gap may be configured to accept the support element of the retail shelving unit. The apparatus may also have an arm extending from one of the pair of opposing securing surfaces and having a distal end. The distal end may have a camera support area including a least one opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for securing a camera to a retail shelving unit, the apparatus including: a pair of opposing securing surfaces for securing the apparatus to a support element of the retail shelving unit, wherein the pair of opposing securing surfaces forms a gap between the pair of opposing securing surfaces, wherein the gap is configured to accept the support element of the retail shelving unit; and an arm extending from one of the pair of opposing securing surfaces and having a distal end, the distal end including a camera support area including a least one opening, wherein the pair of opposing securing surfaces and the arm are constructed from a single continuous galvanized metal sheet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposing securing surfaces are configured to be fixedly mounted to the support element, and wherein the support element includes a rigid structural element supporting a horizontal shelf of the retail shelving unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a width of the gap between the pair of opposing securing surfaces is between 1.5 mm to 8 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a length of the arm extending from one of the pair of opposing securing surfaces is between 30 mm to 70 mm, and a length of each securing surface is between 30 mm to 70 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera support area includes a hole for placement of a cable connecting a camera to a battery source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the continuous galvanized metal sheet is between 1 mm to 3 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuous galvanized metal sheet includes at least one bend greater than 90 degrees along at least one orthogonal rotation axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the least one bend of the continuous galvanized metal sheet form two u-shaped structures, wherein the two u-shaped structures include a first u-shaped structure that is associated with the pair of opposing securing surfaces and a second u-shaped structure that is associated with a surface associated with the camera support area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera support area is part of a planar base substantially orthogonal to the pair of opposing securing surfaces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is fixedly mounted to a support element of a horizontal shelf, the planar base is positioned substantially parallel to a side of the horizontal shelf facing an aisle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is fixedly mounted such that the pair of opposing securing surfaces are located between and abut on two horizontal shelves, a width of the planar base is greater than a space between the two horizontal shelves. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is fixedly mounted to the support element of a horizontal shelf, the planar base is positioned substantially orthogonal to a side of the horizontal shelf facing an aisle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured such that when the apparatus is fixedly mounted such that the pair of opposing securing surfaces are located between and abut on two horizontal shelves, a width of the planar base is less than a space between the two horizontal shelves. ### Claim 14 A system for monitoring planogram compliance in a retail store, the system comprising: a plurality of cameras configured to capture images depicting a plurality of products displayed in the retail store, wherein each camera is mountable to a retail shelving unit using an apparatus including: a pair of opposing securing surfaces for securing the apparatus to a support element of the retail shelving unit, wherein the pair of opposing securing surfaces forms a gap between the pair of opposing securing surfaces, and wherein the gap is configured to accept the support element of the retail shelving unit; and an arm extending from one of the pair of opposing securing surfaces and having a distal end, the distal end including a camera support area including a least one opening, wherein the pair of opposing securing surfaces and the arm are constructed from a single continuous galvanized metal sheet; a data interface configured to receive image data from the plurality of cameras; and at least one processor for monitoring planogram compliance using the received image data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the system includes a plurality of apparatuses that includes at least two types of apparatuses for mounting the plurality of cameras to a plurality of retail shelving units, wherein: an apparatus from a first type is configured such that when it is fixedly mounted to a support element of a horizontal shelf, its camera support area is on a surface positioned substantially parallel to a side of the horizontal shelf facing an aisle; and an apparatus from a second type is configured such that when it is fixedly mounted to a support element of a horizontal shelf, its camera support area is on a surface positioned substantially orthogonal to the pair of opposing securing surfaces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the system includes a plurality of apparatuses that includes at least two types of apparatuses for mounting the plurality of cameras to a plurality of retail shelving units, and wherein the at least two types of apparatus includes a first type having an arm associated with a first length and a second type having an arm associated with a second length greater than the first length. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the system includes a plurality of apparatuses that includes a first apparatus attachable to a first horizontal shelf and a second apparatus attachable a second horizontal shelf, and wherein the first horizontal shelf and the second horizontal shelf are of different heights. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the system includes a plurality of apparatuses that includes a first apparatus attachable a first horizontal shelf and a second apparatus attachable to a second horizontal shelf, and wherein the first horizontal shelf and the second horizontal shelf are of different sizes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein at least two of the plurality of cameras are mountable on a single horizontal shelf and configured to be connected by a cable configured to covey power and image data.