# US 12,182,650 B2 · Reading apparatus and reading method

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- Number: US 12,182,650 B2
- Document ID: US12182650B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/330,147
- Filed: 2023-06-06
- Published: 2023-10-05
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-03-10
- Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Takashi Ichikawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182650B2

## CPC

- G06K 7/016: Synchronisation of sensing process
- G06K 7/10: by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
- G06K 7/10732: {Light sources}
- G06K 7/10861: {sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels (postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48)}
- G06K 7/14: using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light {(G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence)}
- G06Q 20/20: Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
- G06Q 20/201: {Price look-up processing, e.g. updating}
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/208: {Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing}
- G06V 10/10: Image acquisition (document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60)
- G07G 1/0036: {Checkout procedures}
- G07G 1/0045: {with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader}
- G07G 1/0054: {with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles}
- H04N 1/00: Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
- H04N 1/00244: {with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324)}
- H04N 1/3876: {Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image}
- H04N 1/04: Scanning arrangements {, i.e. arrangements for the displacement of active reading or reproducing elements relative to the original or reproducing medium, or vice versa}(H04N1/387 takes precedence)
- H04N 1/387: Composing, repositioning or otherwise {geometrically} modifying originals
- H04N 2201/0081: Image reader (H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- 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
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A reading apparatus includes a synchronizing signal output unit, a first imaging unit, a second imaging unit, an acquisition unit, and a transmission unit. The synchronizing signal output unit outputs a synchronizing signal. The first imaging unit images a read target at an imaging position from a first direction in synchronism with the synchronizing signal. The second imaging unit images the read target at the imaging position from a second direction in synchronism with the synchronizing signal. The acquisition unit acquires a first image of the read target captured by the first imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal, and a second image of the read target captured by the second imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal. The transmission unit correlates the first image and the second image, and transmits the correlated first image and second image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reading apparatus comprising:
a synchronizing signal output unit configured to output a synchronizing signal;
a first imaging unit configured to image a read target at an imaging position through a reading window in synchronism with the synchronizing signal;
a second imaging unit configured to image the read target at the imaging position without through the reading window in synchronism with the synchronizing signal;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire a first image of the read target captured by the first imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal, and a second image of the read target captured by the second imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal; and
a transmission unit configured to correlate the first image and the second image acquired by the acquisition unit, and to transmit the correlated first image and second image to an image recognition server configured to recognize an image of the read target.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a synthesis unit configured to synthesize the first image and the second image acquired by the acquisition unit, thereby creating one image, wherein
the transmission unit transmits the image created by the synthesis unit to the image recognition server.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The reading apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether or not to transmit an image to the image recognition server from the first image, wherein
in a case where the determination unit determines to transmit the image, the synthesis unit synthesizes the first image and the second image and creates one image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The reading apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether or not to transmit an image to the image recognition server from the first image, wherein
in a case where the determination unit determines to transmit the image, the acquisition unit acquires the first image captured by the first imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal, and the second image captured by the second imaging unit in synchronism with the synchronizing signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The reading apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an illumination unit configured to radiate light toward the imaging position in synchronism with the synchronizing signal.

### Claim 6

A reading method of a reading apparatus including a first imaging unit configured to image a read target at an imaging position through a reading window, and a second imaging unit configured to image the read target at the imaging position without through the reading window, the reading method comprising:
synchronizing an imaging timing of the first imaging unit and an imaging timing of the second imaging unit;
acquiring a first image of the read target captured by the first imaging unit, and a second image of the read target captured by the second imaging unit, the first image and the second image being captured at an identical imaging timing; and
correlating the first image and the second image that are acquired, and transmitting the correlated first image and second image to an image recognition server configured to recognize an image of the read target.