Capacitive sensor for item identifying mobile apparatus
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRachid M. Alameh, Stephen Ernest O'Dea
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Abstract
This disclosure describes, in part, a mobile apparatus for identifying items within a facility using an omnidirectional imaging system. For instance, the mobile apparatus may include a main frame, a chassis attached to the main frame, a basket that attaches to the chassis in order to prevent the basket from contacting the main frame, and an omnidirectional imaging system providing image data in and around the mobile apparatus. A user may place item(s) within a receptacle of the basket. The mobile apparatus may further include a handlebar module attached to the main frame, the handlebar module including the omnidirectional imaging system and a computing system for identifying items and events in and around the cart.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a housing comprising a capacitive sensor disposed thereon;
- an imaging device positioned within the housing and configured to capture image data of an environment surrounding the housing, the imaging device having a first focal length and a second focal length, the first focal length shorter than the second focal length;
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:
- receiving first image data from the imaging device using the first focal length;
- receiving capacitive sensor data from the capacitive sensor indicative of a presence of an item within a threshold distance of the imaging device;
- causing the imaging device to capture second image data using the second focal length in response the capacitive sensor data;
- determining that the second image data includes a representation of an item;
- determining an identity of the item based at least in part on the representation of the item;
- and
- storing an association between the identity of the item and a user of the system.
An imaging system comprising:
- a capacitive sensor;
- an imaging device configured to operate at least at a first setting and a second setting;
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
- cause the imaging device to operate at the first setting;
- determine, based at least in part on capacitive data from the capacitive sensor, that an item is brought within a threshold distance of the imaging system;
- and
- cause the imaging device to capture image data at the second setting in response to the item being within the threshold distance.
A method, comprising:
- causing an image system to capture first image data at a first setting;
- receiving capacitive data from a capacitive sensor coupled to a housing of the image system and comprising a conductive shell;
- determining, based on the capacitive data, an item being brought within a threshold distance of the capacitive sensor;
- and
- causing the image system to capture second image data at a second setting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.