Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.

Phasespace, Inc.

Jack Johnson

Scott J Carter

Stephen E Hannah

Jesse Michael James

Narayanan V Ramanathan

Robert M Harling

Vinay C Jivan

Scott R Nollet

John R Black

Tracy D McSheery

A system for monitoring shopping baskets (e.g., baskets on human-propelled carts, motorized carts, or hand-carried baskets) can include a computer vision unit that can image a surveillance region (e.g., an exit to a store), determine whether a basket is empty or loaded with merchandise, and assess a potential for theft of the merchandise. The computer vision unit can include a camera and an image processor programmed to execute a computer vision algorithm to identify shopping baskets and determine a load status of the basket. The computer vision algorithm can comprise a neural network. The system can identify an at least partially loaded shopping basket that is exiting the store, without indicia of having paid for the merchandise, and execute an anti-theft action, e.g., actuating an alarm, notifying store personnel, activating a store surveillance system, activating an anti-theft device associated with the basket (e.g., a locking shopping cart wheel), etc.

Shopping basket monitoring using computer vision and machine learning

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Various techniques utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Navigation techniques can include navigation history and backtracking, motion direction detection for dual swivel casters, use of gyroscopes, determining cart weight, multi-level navigation, multi-level magnetic measurements, use of lighting signatures, use of multiple navigation systems, or hard/soft iron compensation for different cart configurations.

Anti-theft system that uses shopping cart location and vibration data

Navigation systems for wheeled carts

Disclosed is a distributed-processing motion capture system (and inherent method) comprising: plural light point devices, e.g., infrared LEDs, in a motion capture environment, each providing a unique sequence of light pulses representing a unique identity (ID) of a light point device; a first imaging device for imaging light along a first and second axis; and a second imaging device for imaging light along a third and fourth axis. Both of the imaging devices filter out information not corresponding to the light point devices, and output one-dimensional information that includes the ID of a light point device and a position of the light point device along one of the respective axes. The system also includes a processing device for triangulating three-dimensional positions of the light point devices based upon the one-dimensional information. The system is very fast because the necessary processing is distributed to be maximally parallel. The motion capture system uses a cylindrical collimating (CC) optics sub-system superimposed on a cylindrical telecentric (CT) optics sub-system. The outputs of the plural light point devices are modulated to provide a unique sequence of light pulses representing a unique identifier (ID) for each of the light point devices according to a predetermined cycle of modulation intervals based upon synchronization signals provided via RF communication. At least two of the light point devices concurrently provide light during the cycle.

Distributed-processing motion tracking system for tracking individually modulated light points

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

Jack Johnson