IP Library Granted Patent US 8,971,620
Granted Patent B2
US 8,971,620 · App. 14/021,564 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Detecting a label from an image

Inventors: Lun Zhang (Beijing, CN); Rufeng Chu (Beijing, CN); Chunhui Zhang (Hangzhou, CN)
Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
G06K9/64G06K9/2063G06K9/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,971,620
App. No.
14/021,564
Granted
Mar 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Determining a label from an image is disclosed, including: obtaining an image; determining a first portion of the image associated with a special mark; determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

Claims (62)

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

obtain an image;

determine a first portion of the image associated with a special mark;

determine a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark, wherein to determine the second portion of the image associated with the label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes to search for the second portion of the image associated with the label in an area of the image near a location of the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and

apply character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image is obtained based at least in part on one or more of the following: receiving the image via a camera, receiving the image via a scanner, and downloading the image.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image is associated with one or more products.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the label includes identifying information associated with the one or more products.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein to determine the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes to:

detect in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

compare content enclosed by the black boundaries to a designated content associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event that the content enclosed by the black boundaries matches the designated content, determine that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein to determine the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes to:

detect in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

determine whether a line of pixels within the black boundaries matches a black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event it is determined that the line of pixels within the black boundaries matches the black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern, determine that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured, prior to applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label, to extract the second portion of the image associated with the label from the image.

8. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image;

determining, using one or more processors, a first portion of the image associated with a special mark;

determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark, wherein determining the second portion of the image associated with the label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes searching for the second portion of the image associated with the label in an area of the image near a location of the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and

applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image is obtained based at least in part on one or more of the following: receiving the image via a camera, receiving the image via a scanner, and downloading the image.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the image is associated with one or more products.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the label includes identifying information associated with the one or more products.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes:

detecting in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

comparing content enclosed by the black boundaries to a designated content associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event that the content enclosed by the black boundaries matches the designated content, determining that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes:

detecting in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

determining whether a line of pixels within the black boundaries matches a black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event it is determined that the line of pixels within the black boundaries matches the black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern, determining that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, prior to applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label, extracting the second portion of the image associated with the label from the image.

15. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

obtaining an image;

determining a first portion of the image associated with a special mark;

determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark, wherein determining the second portion of the image associated with the label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes searching for the second portion of the image associated with the label in an area of the image near a location of the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and

applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the image is obtained based at least in part on one or more of the following: receiving the image via a camera, receiving the image via a scanner, and downloading the image.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the image is associated with one or more products.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the label includes identifying information associated with the one or more products.

19. A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

obtain an image;

determine a first portion of the image associated with a special mark, wherein to determine the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes to:

detect in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

compare content enclosed by the black boundaries to a designated content associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event that the content enclosed by the black boundaries matches the designated content, determine that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark;

determine a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and

apply character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured to provide the one or more processors with instructions.

20. A method, comprising:

obtaining an image;

determining, using one or more processors, a first portion of the image associated with a special mark, wherein determining the first portion of the image associated with the special mark includes:

detecting in the image a shape with black boundaries associated with a special mark pattern;

determining whether a line of pixels within the black boundaries matches a black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern; and

in the event it is determined that the line of pixels within the black boundaries matches the black-white pixel ratio associated with the special mark pattern, determining that a portion of the image including the shape with the black boundaries comprises the first portion of the image associated with the special mark;

determining a second portion of the image associated with a label based at least in part on the first portion of the image associated with the special mark; and

applying character recognition to the second portion of the image associated with the label to determine a value associated with the label.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ATTORNEY DOCKET NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 031682 FRAME 0697. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECT ATTORNEY DOCKET NUMBER IS ALIBP142. Recorded Dec 20, 2013
From: ZHANG, LUN; CHU, RUFENG; ZHANG, CHUNHUI
To: ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 031866/0975 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 26, 2013
From: ZHANG, LUN; CHU, RUFENG; ZHANG, CHUNHUI
To: ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED
Reel/Frame 031682/0697 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2012 1 0360774 · Sep 21, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140086483A1 · Mar 27, 2014