The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 25, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2002
William John Ballantyne, Aurora, CA;
VerifEye Inc., Ontario, CA;
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for detecting a shopping cart used to bring items to a checkout location, and inspecting its bottom tray for the presence of items. The apparatus includes a cart-detector to detect the presence of the cart at a pre-determined location; and an item-detector to detect the presence of items placed on the lower tray of the cart. The cart detector includes an arrangement of three optical sensors and corresponding retro-reflective targets; and finite state-machine processing logic to discriminate a specific sequence of sensor responses. The item detector includes an optical line generator to project a structured illumination pattern on any items placed on the lower tray of the shopping cart as well as on the opposite wall of the checkout lane; an area-imaging sensor and associated optics and digitizing means to capture the reflected pattern in digital form; a pattern-analysis means to analyze the captured pattern; and a means for transmitting the result of the pattern analysis, for example, to a system that can alert the attendant and/or the customer, or to a means that prevents further progress of the car through the checkout lane.