Transmission of images for inventory monitoring
A method and apparatus for transmitting an image for inventory monitoring is provided herein. During operation, a camera may take a series of images of a particular area to be monitored. Each image will be broken into a plurality of regions and a determination will be made if a region is at least partially blocked. Those regions deemed unblocked will be utilized to generate a composite image. The camera continues acquiring images, using unblocked regions until a complete composite image is formed without obstructions. The composite image will then be transmitted and used for inventory monitoring.
1. A method for transmitting an image of inventory, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processing system, a first image of inventory from a camera;
determining, by a processor of the processing system, that a portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions, and responsively:
requesting, by the processor, a second image of the inventory from the camera; and
receiving, at the processing system, the second image containing one or more unblocked regions corresponding to the one or more blocked regions of the first image;
creating, by the processor, a composite image formed of unblocked regions of the first and second images;
determining, by the processor, that a blocked portion of the composite image has remained blocked for longer than a predetermined period of time; and
transmitting the composite image including the blocked portion; wherein determining that the portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions comprises:
identifying, by the processor, absence of specific image features at specific locations in the first image; and
wherein the absence of the one or more specific image features is used to determine that an area of the first image is blocked.
2. A method for transmitting an image of inventory, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processing system, a first image of inventory from a camera;
determining, by a processor of the processing system, that a portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions, and responsively:
requesting, by the processor, a second image of the inventory from the camera; and
receiving at the processing system, the second image containing one or more unblocked regions corresponding to the one or more blocked regions of the first image;
creating, by the processor, a composite image formed of unblocked regions of the first and second images;
identifying a relative level of blockage of a current image region in a current image;
comparing the relative level of blockage to a corresponding level of blockage of a corresponding region in the composite image; and
merging the current image region into the corresponding composite region of the composite image if the current image region has less blockage;
wherein determining that the portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions comprises:
identifying, by the processor, absence of specific image features at specific locations in the first image; and
wherein the absence of one or more specific image features is used to determine that an area of the first image is blocked.
3. An apparatus comprising:
a camera;
a communications interface;
data storage; and
a processor configured to:
receive, via the communications interface, a first image of inventory from the camera;
determine that a portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions, and responsively:
request a second image of the inventory from the camera; and
receive the second image containing one or more unblocked regions corresponding to the one or more blocked regions of the first image;
create a composite image formed of unblocked regions of the first and second images;
wherein the processor is configured to determine if the portion of the first image contains one or more blocked regions by:
identifying absence of specific image features at specific locations in the first image;
wherein the absence of one or more specific image features is used to determine that an area of the first image is blocked; and
wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that a blocked portion of the composite image has remained blocked for longer than a predetermined period of time, and responsively transmit, via the communications interface, the composite image including the blocked portion.