# US 9,436,959 B2 · Individual product identification system, individual product identification method, and device and program used by same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,959 B2 - Document ID: US9436959B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/840,156 - Filed: 2015-08-31 - Published: 2015-12-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-04 - Assignees: NEC Corporation - Applicants: Rui Ishiyama - Inventors: Rui Ishiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436959B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0623: {by investigating goods or services} - G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management - G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders - G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting} - G06Q 50/02: Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining - G06V 20/68: Food, e.g. fruit or vegetables - G06F 2218/12: Classification; Matching - 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 - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The present invention is an individual product identification method, comprising: previously storing epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope with a predetermined location of a registered product taken as a reference; imaging the epidermal pattern in the predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the product, being a target of individual product identification, taken as a reference; correcting the imaged epidermal pattern image of the product, being a target of individual product identification to an image for collation with the registered product with the predetermined location of the product taken as a reference: and collating an image characteristic of the epidermal pattern image of the registered product with the image characteristic of the corrected epidermal pattern image, and identifying whether the product, being a target of individual product identification, is one of the registered products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An individual product identification system of an agricultural, forest and fishery product, comprising: a storage that stores epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope of a registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference and at least either production information or distribution information corresponding to the epidermal pattern images; and a microprocessor programmed to collate a target epidermal pattern image of a target agricultural, forest and fishery product, with the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, identify whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products, and output stored information of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The individual product identification system according to claim 1, wherein the storage in which epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference are stored, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to collate the target epidermal pattern image in a predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product, with the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, and identifies whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The individual product identification system according to claim 1, wherein the agricultural, forest and fishery product is a fish, wherein the predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the agricultural, forest and fishery product is at least one of a scale, an eye, a gill and a fin of the fish. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The individual product identification system according to claim 3, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to: image the epidermal pattern in the predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the fish, taken as a reference; and correct the target epidermal pattern image of the fish, to an image for collation with the registered fish with the predetermined location of the fish taken as a reference; and wherein the microprocessor collates the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered fish with the corrected epidermal pattern image, and identifies whether the target fish is one of the registered fishes. ### Claim 5 An individual product identification method of an agricultural, forest and fishery product, comprising executing on a processor: collating a target epidermal pattern image of a target agricultural, forest and fishery product, with stored epidermal pattern images of a registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, the epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference and at least either production information or distribution information corresponding to the epidermal pattern images are stored in a storage; identifying whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products; and outputting stored information of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The individual product identification method according to claim 5, wherein the storage in which epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference are stored, wherein the collating collates the target epidermal pattern image in a predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product, with the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, wherein the identifying identifies whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The individual product identification method according to claim 5, wherein the agricultural, forest and fishery product is a fish, wherein the predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the agricultural, forest and fishery product is at least one of a scale, an eye, a gill and a fin of the fish. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The individual product identification method according to claim 7, further comprising: imaging the epidermal pattern in the predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the fish, taken as a reference; and correcting the imaged target epidermal pattern image of the fish, to an image for collation with the registered fish with the predetermined location of the fish taken as a reference; and wherein the collating collates the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered fish with the corrected epidermal pattern image, wherein the identifying identifies whether the target fish is one of the registered fishes. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing an individual product identification program of an agricultural, forest and fishery product, the program causing an information processing device to execute comprising: process of collating a target epidermal pattern image of a target agricultural, forest and fishery product with stored epidermal pattern images of a registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, the epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference and at least either production information or distribution information corresponding to the epidermal pattern images are stored in a storage; process of identifying whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products; and process of outputting stored information of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the storage in which epidermal pattern images in a predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product taken as a reference are stored, wherein the process of collating collates the target epidermal pattern image in a predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the target agricultural, forest and fishery product, with the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery product, wherein the process of identifying identifies whether the target agricultural, forest and fishery product is one of the registered agricultural, forest and fishery products. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the agricultural, forest and fishery product is a fish, wherein the predetermined scope with a predetermined location of the agricultural, forest and fishery product is at least one of a scale, an eye, a gill and a fin of the fish. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 11, the program causing an information processing device to execute further comprising: process of imaging the epidermal pattern in the predetermined scope with the predetermined location of the fish, taken as a reference; and process of correcting the imaged target epidermal pattern image of the fish, to an image for collation with the registered fish with the predetermined location of the fish taken as a reference; and wherein the process of collating collates the stored epidermal pattern images of the registered fish with the corrected epidermal pattern image, wherein the process of identifying identifies whether the target fish is one of the registered fishes.