Reading device and method

A commodity checkout apparatus for a retail store, comprising:

• a checkout counter having a first region and a second region;
• a display unit mounted on the checkout counter;
• an image capturing device configured to image the first region of the checkout counter from above;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• receive a first image from the image capturing device including a plurality of objects on the checkout counter;
• extract a first object from the plurality of object in the first image, the first object being determined as closest to the image capturing device in the first image by the control unit;
• control the display unit to display the first image with a frame highlighting the first object;
• perform generic object recognition on the first object;
• receive a second image from the image capturing device including the plurality of object on the checkout counter and determine whether the first object is still closest to the image capturing device;
• extract a second object from the second image if the first object is no longer closest to the image capturing device and the second object is closest to the image capturing device in the second image;
• and
• control the display unit to display the second image with a frame highlighting the second object if the first object is no longer closest to the image capturing device.

A method registering items in a sales transaction, the method, comprising:

• receiving a first image from an image capturing device including a plurality of objects on a checkout counter;
• extracting a first object from the plurality of object in the first image, the first object being the object closest to the image capturing device in the first image;
• controlling a display unit to display the first image with a frame highlighting the first object;
• performing generic object recognition on the first object;
• receiving a second image from the image capturing device including the plurality of object on the checkout counter and determining whether the first object is still closest to the image capturing device;
• extracting a second object from the second image if the first object is no longer closest to the image capturing device, the second object being the object closest to the image capturing device in the second image;
• and
• controlling the display unit to display the second image with a frame highlighting the second object if the first object is no longer closest to the image capturing device.