Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and information processing system
An information processing apparatus includes a camera interface configured to connect to a camera, and a processor configured to control the camera via the camera interface to capture an image of a plurality of articles and a shelf displaying the articles, determine a plurality of article IDs for the articles shown in the captured image using a feature value of each of the articles, and based on shelf allocation plan information that associates a shelf ID of each of a plurality of shelves with a plurality of article IDs for articles displayed on the shelf, determine a shelf ID of the shelf shown in the captured image. The determined shelf ID is associated with one or more of the determined article IDs.
1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
a camera interface configured to connect to a camera; and
a processor configured to:
acquire shelf allocation plan information that indicates a shelf ID of each of a plurality of shelves in association with: a plurality of article IDs of articles displayed on the shelf, and a display location of each of the articles displayed on the shelf;
control the camera via the camera interface to capture an image of a plurality of articles and a shelf displaying the articles;
determine a plurality of article IDs for the articles shown in the captured image using a feature value of each of the articles;
determine a positional relationship of the articles shown in the captured image;
compare the determined positional relationship with a positional relationship of articles displayed on each of the shelves determined from the shelf allocation plan information; and
determine, as a shelf ID of the shelf shown in the captured image, a shelf ID of one of the shelves displaying articles having a positional relationship closest to the determined positional relationship, wherein
the determined shelf ID is associated with one or more of the determined article IDs.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the positional relationship is represented by a diagram with a plurality sets of coordinates indicating a display location of an article on a shelf.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
two or more of same adjacent articles are considered as a single article in the diagram.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the article IDs indicates a type of the article.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is configured to:
recognize an edge of the shelf in the captured image; and
determine the article IDs for the articles shown within the recognized edge.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is configured to:
read one or more labels from the captured image each associated with an article; and
determine the article IDs of the articles shown in the captured image based on the labels.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the labels shows a printed symbol that identifies an article.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the labels is an electronic label configured to display or transmit information that identifies an article.
9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processor is configured to determine the article IDs after dividing the captured image into a plurality of blocks.
10. A method carried out by an information processing apparatus, comprising:
acquiring shelf allocation plan information that indicates a shelf ID of each of a plurality of shelves in association with: a plurality of article IDs of articles displayed on the shelf, and a display location of each of the articles displayed on the shelf;
capturing with a camera an image of a plurality of articles and a shelf displaying the articles;
determining a plurality of article IDs for the articles shown in the captured image using a feature value of each of the articles;
determining a positional relationship of the articles shown in the captured image;
comparing the determined positional relationship with a positional relationship of articles displayed on each of the shelves determined from the shelf allocation plan information; and
determining, as a shelf ID of the shelf shown in the captured image, a shelf ID of one of the shelves displaying articles having a positional relationship closest to the determined positional relationship, wherein
the determined shelf ID is associated with one or more of the determined article IDs.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein
the positional relationship is represented by a diagram with a plurality sets of coordinates indicating a display location of an article on a shelf.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein
two or more of same adjacent articles are considered as a single article in the diagram.
13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein
each of the article IDs indicates a type of the article.
14. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising
recognizing an edge of the shelf in the captured image, wherein
the article IDs are determined for the articles shown within the recognized edge.
15. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising
reading one or more labels from the captured image each associated with an article, wherein
the article IDs are determined for the articles shown in the captured image based on the labels.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein
each of the labels shows a printed symbol that identifies an article.
17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein
each of the labels is an electronic label configured to display or transmit information that identifies an article.
18. An information processing system, comprising:
a camera;
a first apparatus configured to store shelf allocation plan information that indicates a shelf ID of each of a plurality of shelves in association with: a plurality of article IDs of articles displayed on the shelf, and a display location of each of the articles displayed on the shelf; and
a second apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
acquire the shelf allocation plan information from the first apparatus;
control the camera to capture an image of a plurality of articles and a shelf displaying the articles;
determine a plurality of article IDs for the articles shown in the captured image using a feature value of each of the articles;
determine a positional relationship of the articles shown in the captured image;
compare the determined positional relationship with a positional relationship of articles displayed on each of the shelves determined from the shelf allocation plan information; and
determine as a shelf ID of the shelf shown in the captured image, a shelf ID of one of the shelves displaying articles having a positional relationship closest to the determined positional relationship, wherein
the determined shelf ID is associated with one or more of the determined article IDs.