Simultaneous item scanning in a POS system
View Patent ↗A plurality of items is positioned in a volume scanned by a three-dimensional non-optical imaging system. The imaging system generates a three-dimensional voxel image of the volume. Voxel regions are identified and surfaces of voxel regions are analyzed to identify a symbol printed thereon. The symbols are resolved into product identifiers, which are then added to a transaction and payment for the transaction is processed. The imaging system may be a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, computed tomography (CT) scanning system, terahertz (T wave) imaging system, or other imaging system.
1. A method comprising:
providing a point of sale system for processing a retail transaction for a plurality of retail products;
providing a non-optical three-dimensional imaging system coupled to the point of sale system, the imaging system comprising at least one of a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system, a computed tomography (CT) scanning system, and a terahertz imaging system;
scanning, by the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system a volume occupied by the plurality of retail products to obtain a three dimensional voxel image of the volume;
processing, by a computer system, the three dimensional voxel image to identify three-dimensional voxel regions, each three-dimensional voxel region corresponding to a product of the plurality of retail products;
identifying, by the computer system, for each three-dimensional voxel region, a symbol on a surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region;
identifying, by the computer system, for each three-dimensional voxel region, a product identifier corresponding to the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region;
adding, by the point of sale system, the product identifiers for each three dimensional voxel region to the retail transaction; and
processing, by the point of sale system, payment for the retail transaction.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a computed tomography (CT) scanning system.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a terahertz imaging system.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises two or more of:
a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system;
a computed tomography (CT) scanning system; and
a terahertz imaging system.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises an optical code.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises a universal product code.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises a textual product name.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a receptacle containing the plurality of products through the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a receptacle containing the plurality of products through the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system on a conveyor belt.
11. A system comprising:
a point of sale system for processing a retail transaction for one or more retail products;
a non-optical three-dimensional imaging system coupled to the point of sale system, the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system having in a viewable area thereof a volume, wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises at least one of a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system, a computed tomography (CT) scanning system, and a terahertz imaging system; and
a computer system, coupled to the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system and operable to receive a three dimensional voxel image of the one or more retail products within the volume from the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system, the computer system further programmed to:
process the three dimensional voxel image to identify three-dimensional voxel regions;
identify for each three-dimensional voxel region, a symbol on a surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region; and
identify, for each three-dimensional voxel region, a product identifier corresponding to the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region,
wherein the point of sale system is configured to:
add the product identifiers for each three dimensional voxel region to the retail transaction; and
process payment for the retail transaction.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a computed tomography (CT) scanning system.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises a terahertz imaging system.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system comprises two or more of:
a magnetic resonance imager (MRI) system;
a computed tomography (CT) scanning system; and
a terahertz imaging system.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises an optical code.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises a universal product code.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the symbol on the surface of the each three-dimensional voxel region comprises a textual product name.
19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an actuator moving a receptacle through the non-optical three-dimensional imaging system.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the actuator is a conveyor belt.