Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation

International Business Machines Corporation

Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions

Other

Charles Ray Kirk

Brad Matthew Johnson

David John Steiner

Yevgeni Tsirulnik

Evgeny Shevtsov

J Wacho Slaughter

Robert Thomas Cato

Andrei Khaitas

Nancy Yaguda

Srija Ganguly

Steven Low

Phuc Ky Do

Timothy Wayne Crockett

John David Landers, Jr

Justin Monroe Pierce

Eugene Michael Maximilien

Paul Morton Wilson

Sharon Corinne Freedman

Seth T Teeples

Edward Lee

Suzanne M Bleakley

William L Dungan

Jay Hyuk Kim

Hawaii Xuan

Michelle M Crompton

Judith L Atallah

Phil Brown

James J Burcham

Timothy W Crocket

Richard S Shryock

Systems and methods of object classification at point of sale are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is performed by a POS system having processing circuitry operationally coupled to a transducer operable to radiate a pressure wave and a sensor operable to sense a pressure wave. Further, the transducer and the sensor are positioned on or about the POS system so that a field of radiation of the transducer and a field of detection of the sensor are directed towards a certain region of the POS system. The method includes receiving, from the sensor, a reflected signal that represents a pressure wave radiated by the transducer that is reflected from a surface of an object when in or about the certain region of the POS system so that the object can be classified as at least one of a set of object types based on the reflected signal.

Object classification at point of sale

Techniques for configuring a point of sale (POS) system may include using an optical sensing module to read an identifier associated with a POS component and associating the POS component with a zone that is monitored by the optical sensing module, where the zone includes the POS system. In response to optically sensing the identifier, the system may automatically configure the component to function within the POS system.

Point of sale optical-based device association and configuration

Self-checkout kiosk

Techniques to reconfigure self-checkout kiosks based on computer vision or interaction metrics. One or more graphical images are received. The one or more graphical images at least partially depict a physical area associated with a self-checkout kiosk during a transaction involving one or more items and a form of payment. The one or more graphical images include a first item. The self-checkout kiosk is configured to output one or more communications via one or more graphical user interface (GUI) screens associated with a workflow. An item type or a payment type is predicted for the transaction and using one or more classifiers. The predicted item type or payment type is provided as input to the workflow without requiring an intervention. The transaction is executed.

Self-checkout workflow management system

Computer vision grouping recognition is provided by receiving training images that include unpackaged items; identifying, by a computer vision model, a candidate identities for unpackaged items in a given training image; receiving, from a human user, a selected identity for the unpackaged item as feedback for the candidate identity; constructing a confusion matrix tallying matches and mismatches between candidate identities and the selected identities as analyzed across the training images for each unpackaged item; identifying at least one product category that includes at least a first unpackaged item and a second unpackaged item that the confusion matrix indicates as being misidentified for each other by the computer vision model; and reconfiguring the computer vision model to identify the product category instead of the first unpackaged item or the second unpackaged item when analyzing a given image including one or more of the first unpackaged item or the second unpackaged item.

Computer vision grouping recognition system

Networked devices in a communications network share a common firmware key. Using the common firmware key, one networked device can encrypt configuration data it uses to operate in the network for distribution to other networked devices of the same or similar type. The networked devices that receive the encrypted configuration data then use the common firmware key to decrypt the encrypted configuration data, and using the decrypted configuration data, self-configure to operate on the network. This allows for the secure distribution of configuration data, as well as the self-configuration of networked devices without exposing the sensitive data needed for such configuration to a human.

Configuring networked devices sharing a common firmware key

Adjustable display

A rotary encoder with free floating flexible sensor carrier provides a sensor carrier that eliminates the traditional need for bearings and a housing in a rotary encoder, as well as allowing for significant cost savings in material and installation costs, improving acceleration and reducing startup and running torque. A bushing is rotationally fixed to a shaft the rotation of which is desired to be measured. An encoder disc is axially connected to the bushing. A sensor is held in an alignment above the encoder disc by a sensor carrier. The sensor may be connected directly to the sensor carrier or to a circuit board which is connected to the sensor carrier. A shaft alignment portion of the sensor carrier encircles the shaft and a plurality of stabilizing arms hold the sensor carrier in place, thus maintaining the sensor in proper alignment.

Rotary encoder with free floating flexible sensor carrier

A serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus and method of communicating over an SPI bus to multiple slave devices without requiring the master device to have an independent slave select pin for each slave device. The SPI bus comprises an SPI master device coupled to an SPI multiplex slave device and a plurality of SPI non-multiplex slave devices. The SPI multiplex slave device includes an independent slave select (SS) output pin coupled to each one of the SPI non-multiplex slave devices for sending an activation signal to a selected SPI slave device in response to receiving a command from the master device containing identification of the selected SPI slave device.

Remote multiplexing devices on a serial peripheral interface bus

A circuit is attached in parallel to a universal serial bus interface of a data processing system. A capacitor in the circuit is charged by receiving power from a power pin of the universal serial bus interface while the data processing system is not in a reduced power state. A vibration sensor is unpowered while the data processing system is not in a reduced power state. The vibration sensor is disconnected from a data pin of the universal serial bus interface while the data processing system is not in a reduced power state. When the data processing system enters a reduced power state, the capacitor provides power to the vibration sensor. When a vibration is detected by the vibration sensor, a switch connects the vibration sensor to the data pin of the universal serial bus interface, providing a wake up signal to the data processing system.

Universal serial bus wakeup circuit

A fault detector apparatus for a printer having a first print head and a second print head with a plurality of print head elements in each print head is disclosed. The apparatus includes a test circuit in signal communication with all the print heads to test the plurality of print head elements. The test circuit includes a test power supply for generating a test voltage, a first resistor, a second resistor, and an analog to digital converter in signal communication with the second resistor. The first resistor is in series connection between the test power supply and the plurality of elements in the first print head. The second resistor in series connection with the test power supply, the first resistor, and the plurality of elements in the second print head. The fault detector apparatus will also work for a printer with only one print head.

Fault detection circuit for printers with multiple print heads

A system and method for monitoring location based service emitter infrastructure. Beacon data is stored, the beacon data transmitted by beacons in an area and detected by a client device that is moved along a path at the location. The beacon data along the path of the client device is analyzed to determine whether any of the detected beacons have failed.

Method and system for monitoring location based service emitter infrastructure

A keyboard is placed into a suspend mode. Upon the detection of the pressing of a key, the keyboard processor is wakened from the suspend mode. No power is consumed during the suspend mode, sine the keyboard processor is not scanning the key matrix. The key matrix drive circuitry may also be tested by monitoring a signal emanating from the key matrix drive circuitry and scanning each of the drive lines in the key matrix. If the signal is altered, then the associated drive line in the keyboard drive circuitry is defective. Testing of sense circuitry is performed by changing pull-up resistors to pull-down resistors and then reading sense lines.

Key stroke detection for keyboard remote wake-up

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Charles Ray Kirk